We begin the morning with a joint lecture given by Peter and Dr William McVicker, head of organ studies at the Royal Academy of Music, after which we divide into two groups to explore i) the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments and ii) the Oxford repertoire of organ music (the groups then change over). The Bate Collection was established through a bequest left to the Oxford Faculty of Music by woodwind instrument collector Philip Bate, in 1963. Over the years the collection has been enlarged and now possesses a fine range of historic keyboard instruments, including the Kirkman harpsichord upon which Joseph Haydn played in 1791. After an included lunch, we have a guided tour of Magdalen College, founded in 1458, and famous for its large, square tower from which May Day carols have been sung every year since the time of Henry VII at 6 o’clock in the morning. In the early evening there is an optional attendance of sung evensong at Christ Church. The evening is at leisure.

Our morning lecture presents an overview of music making in Oxford ranging from reports of part singing at Queen’s College in 1340, to modern composers who have studied there, including Joseph Horovitz, Nicola LeFanu and Stephen Oliver.

GF Handel by Louis Francois Roubiliac c 1760

We then make our way to the oldest British public museum, the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, first erected in the 1670s and 80s to house Elias Ashmole’s cabinet of curiosities, presented to the university in 1677. However, the present building dates from the mid-19th century and in 2009 underwent a complete refurbishment programme, resulting in a museum of international status. Our guided tour explores the highlights in the collection ranging from Raphael to Rubens, and Pissarro to Picasso, as well as one of the finest collections of Pre-Raphaelite paintings in the country. The museum also has an excellent collection of period musical instruments, including a Stradivari violin. Following lunch, we spend the afternoon sailing on a private boat along Oxford’s rivers, all the while enjoying a cream tea as we do so!

The morning lecture discusses the writer and mathematician, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his nom de plume, Lewis Carroll, writer of the famous Alice books, and former student and employee of Christ Church. After the lecture, there is a tour of Christ Church library where Samuel Teague, the librarian who carries out significant work with the music collections in the library, guides us through a selection of its priceless music manuscripts and printed editions. After a coffee break, we continue to Christ Church Picture Gallery, unique among the Oxford and Cambridge colleges. The gallery possesses an important collection of Old Masters amassed by General John Guise and presented to the college in 1765. The art works are housed in a purpose-built gallery designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, which opened in 1968 (once again the group will be split in two for this visit). We have a late lunch, with the afternoon at leisure. An evening drinks reception has been organised at the Eagle and Child pub, where CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien – members of the Inklings literary group – would enjoy a pint. We then go to a local restaurant for our farewell dinner.