Who's Who?
THE DEAN, Gregory Seach, is responsible for the conduct of services in Chapel, and has a pastoral rôle among the Fellows, staff, students (undergraduate and graduate) and all members of the College. He is an Anglican priest, and as a Fellow of Clare, is Director-of-Studies in Theology and Religious Studies. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, his first degree was in English Literature from the University of Sydney. He then taught English, History and Drama for ten years, before moving to Melbourne to begin theological study at Trinity College, University of Melbourne and through the Melbourne College of Divinity. He was ordained and served his curacy in the Diocese of Melbourne, before coming to Cambridge as a graduate student, combining his two ‘former lives’ with studies in theology and literature. Gregory first came to Clare as Decani Scholar from 2006-7 and is delighted to return as Dean.
THE DECANI SCHOLAR, Jim Blackstone, works alongside the Dean in a part-time capacity. He helps to lead services and has a ministry of pastoral care among students. After undergraduate studies in Theology and Religious Studies at Peterhouse (1994-97) he worked in a residential community for emotionally and behaviourally disturbed children, studied psychology, taught in Poland, undertook commissioned portraits in oil, lived in a contemplative monastic community, taught Religious Studies at a secondary school in Catford, south London, and worked as parish assistant in the parish of All Saints’, Blackheath. He is now in training for ordained ministry in the Church of England and researching for a PhD in the Faculty of Divinity on the relation between religious experience and theological knowledge in the works of the fourteenth century Orthodox saint, Gregory Palamas.
THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, Tim Brown,
has been Director of Music at Clare College since 1979. He is Director
of Studies in Music at Clare and Pembroke Colleges, Cambridge. Tim
Brown received his initial musical training as a chorister at Westminster
Abbey, and later as a member of King's College Choir, Cambridge.
For many years he conducted the Cambridge University Chamber Choir
and is now the director of the London-based professional chamber
choir, English Voices. He has been guest chorus-master at the Berlin
Staatsoper and at the Flanders Opera, and is a popular conductor
at singing weeks, including Europa Cantat and the Berwang Holiday
Music Course. In November 2002 he directed a project with the Berlin-based
RIAS radio choir. He has edited a number of choral volumes for Faber
Music and is a contributing editor to the complete edition of music
by William Walton, published by Oxford University Press.
THE SENIOR ORGAN SCHOLAR,
Ashok Gupta , is in his final year at Clare College reading Music. He attended Dean Close School in Cheltenham where he was organ scholar for three years, from 2003-2006. He studied organ with Robert Houssart and piano with Philip Martin.
As organ scholar at Clare College, Ashok accompanies the Chapel Choir under the direction of Timothy Brown. Since coming to Cambridge in 2007, he has had the privilege of studying under David Sanger, Nigel Allcoat, Douglas Hollick and John Wellingham. He has given organ recitals on all the major Cambridge organs. He played principal continuo in the St Matthew Passion with Clare College Choir and the Manchester Camerata, and chamber organ in a performance of Haydn's Creation with the BBC Philharmonic under Gianandrea Noseda. He accompanied the choir of the Chapel Royal live on BBC Radio 3. Ashok also enjoys composing and jazz improvisation.
THE JUNIOR ORGAN SCHOLAR, Nicolas Haigh, is in his first year reading music. Nicolas was a chorister at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford – where he studied organ with Clive Driskill-Smith and Christian Wilson – before going to Winchester College to learn with Christopher Tolley and Malcolm Archer. He particularly enjoys listening to jazz and shooting target rifles.
THE CHAPEL ADMINISTRATOR, Kate Littlechild, is responsible for running the day-to-day administration of
the Chapel, including all Chapel bookings, producing service sheets and co-ordinating extra and special services. In
addition she plays a large part in helping the Director of Music administratively with the musical side of Chapel and
in particular with the Chapel Choir. She also looks after the Bennett Room in Memorial Court. Her Quaker upbringing
and musical hobbies as a child – she plays the piano and the violin - have provided her with experiences relevant to the
job she is doing. She read Spanish at Nottingham University, and her past jobs have included working for the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office and the British Council. She enjoys contact with people. Kate is married to Tony, and they have
three children. She is a keen follower of football, works out regularly at the gym, listens to all types of music,
enjoys foreign travel, and is at present researching her family history.
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