The Byron Festival at Trinity

Trinity marked 200 years since its most famous literary alumnus died, on 19 April 1824, with The Byron Festival at Trinity. The Festival included a conference, a Recital, poetry readings, an exhibition and the Byrencore.

One attendee said:

“We had a really wonderful two days and enjoyed all the various events and activities. It was all very inspiring, particularly may I say the student readings and competition winners. You can all be very proud of the enthusiasm which your efforts have provoked in many, many people, young and not quite so young.”

Recital, Trinity College Chapel, Friday 19 April

Honorary Fellow of Trinity and Master of the King’s Music, Dame Judith Weir composed new work in response to Byron’s poem Bright be the Place of thy Soul! which was performed by Florian Störtz (baritone) and Malcolm Martineau (piano).

This recital also included songs by Mendelssohn, Wolf, Schumann, Balakirev, Gounod, Parry, Hugh Wood. Actor and Trinity alumnus Pip Torrens also took part.

Read more ‘It’s a poem that already felt like a song’: Dame Judith Weir at The Byron Festival – Trinity College Cambridge

Poetry Readings, the Antechapel, Saturday 20 April

New poems, created in response to Byron, were composed by poets including Mona Arshi, Adam Crothers, Parwana Fayyaz, Mina Gorji, Peter Graham, Gregory Leadbetter, Angela Leighton, Stav Poleg, Michael Symmons Roberts, AE Stallings, and Rebecca Watts.

Read more ‘… on the impossibility of being Byron in 2024’: Rebecca Watts at The Byron Festival – Trinity College Cambridge

Three student winners of the Byron Now poetry prize – Benedick McDougall, Georgina McNamara and Kendry Nydam – also read their compositions.

Read more Winners of the Byron Now competition announced

The Byrencore, Antechapel, Saturday 20 April, 9pm – 10:30pm

Inspired by The Byrothon – a continuous 24-hour reading of poems and letters read by Trinity Fellows, staff and students, this event was a shortened event, again in the presence of  Byron’s ‘ghost’.

Read more  The Byrothon: ‘an extraordinary collaboration’

‘Exhibiting Byron,’ the Wren Library, during opening hours

Original manuscripts, letters and first editions of works by Byron and his circle will remain on display in the Wren Library, during public opening hours, until June.

Junior Research Fellow Dr Dan Sperrin work’s inspired by Byron’s Don Juan are also displayed.

Read more Inspired by ‘Don Juan’: Dr Dan Sperrin at The Byron Festival – Trinity College Cambridge