We catch up with recent Downing alumnus and professional guitarist Declan Hickey.Cover image credit Louisa Denby.-=-=-=-Thursday 29 January, 9pm, Chapel: Choral ComplineFriday 30 January, 11am-12pm, Wilkins Room: Qi Gong movement workshop in association with the Gallery's current exhibition. Click <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/qi-gong-session-tickets-1980451716396" target="_blank">here</a> to find out more.Friday 30 January, 5-6.30pm, Howard Theatre: 'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition Panel Discussion. Free tickets bookable <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exhibition-panel-discussion-a-gap-in-the-clouds-tickets-1978614805145" target="_blank">here</a>.Friday 30 January, 9.30pm, JCR: DCMS Open Mic NightSunday 1 February, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong for the Feast of Candlemas.Monday 2 February, 6.30-7.30pm, Chapel: Talk and discussion: 'What is the Church of England?' All welcome.Monday 2 February, 7-9pm, JCR: Danby Society Estimating Evening with Dr Hamish Symington. Free pizza and a prize for the winning team.'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome.-=-=-=-Applications open for the Piano Showcase Weekend with Danny Driver 27-28 Feb. Deadline 12 February. www.dow.cam.ac.uk/events/piano-showcase-weekend-international-piano-soloist-danny-driverCall for submissions: The Twining Egginton Fine Arts Prize 2026. Deadline 16 March. www.dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts/art-downingIf you'd like to come on the show to chat about anything related to the Creative Arts, please email artspodcast@dow.cam.ac.uk.

Downing College, Cambridge

We catch up with recent Downing alumnus and professional guitarist Declan Hickey.

LT26.2 In Pursuit of a Pheasant Plucker

Head of Academic Skills, Dr Hamish Symington, chats about his alter ego as a cryptic crossword setter.Cover image released under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Deed</a>.-=-=-=-Sunday 25 January, 6pm, Chapel: Choral EvensongMonday 26 January, 6-8pm, Heong Gallery: 'Through the Gap' Creative Workshop. Space is limited and booking is essential. Email <a href="mailto:wellbeing-advisor@dow.cam.ac.uk" target="_blank">wellbeing-advisor@dow.cam.ac.uk</a>.'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome.-=-=-=-Applications open for the Piano Showcase Weekend with Danny Driver 27-28 Feb. Deadline 12 February. www.dow.cam.ac.uk/events/piano-showcase-weekend-international-piano-soloist-danny-driverCall for submissions: The Twining Egginton Fine Arts Prize 2026. Deadline 16 March. www.dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts/art-downingIf you'd like to come on the show to chat about anything related to the Creative Arts, please email artspodcast@dow.cam.ac.uk.

Head of Academic Skills, Dr Hamish Symington, chats about his alter ego as a cryptic crossword setter.

LT26.1 Would you like Soup with your crossword?

In this Bridgemas Special episode, we're joined by new band Cash Only, as well as Honorary Fellow and former Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, Martin Baker.Cover image copyright Louisa Denby.-=-=-=-Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome.'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome.-=-=-=-Call for submissions: 'The Leaves'. Email leaves@dow.cam.ac.uk.Staff & Fellows' Carol Service, Monday 15 December: If you would like to sing in the scratch choir, or give a reading, please email college.music@dow.cam.ac.uk.If you'd like to be interviewed for the Lent term series of the Arts Podcast, email artspodcast@dow.cam.ac.uk.

In this Bridgemas Special epsiode, we're joined by new band Cash Only, as well as Honorary Fellow and former Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, Martin Baker.

MT25.10 Bridgemas Special

Purchasing & Stores Manager David Stroud tells the story of his first encounter with 'Alien'.Cover image by Jacob-the-fox-critic, licensed under Creative Commons <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-NC-SA 3.0</a>.-=-=-=-Thursday 27, Friday 28, and Saturday 29 November, 7.15pm, Howard Theatre: DDS Christmas Comedy Show. Tickets available <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdds.tessera.events%2Ftickets%2Fdds-christmas-comedy-night&data=05%7C02%7Clrd23%40universityofcambridgecloud.onmicrosoft.com%7Ca7403fc19cad47f715bd08de2b658c07%7C49a50445bdfa4b79ade3547b4f3986e9%7C1%7C0%7C638995912470650889%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=StO07KPKQ8rfVxAqnfGQ00ZvKpCQ%2F2eB2Rf3eov1xIk%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.Friday 28 November, 3-4pm, E-Staircase Music Room: Juggling Workshop with Guinness World Record-holder James Cozens. Tickets available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/juggling-workshop-with-james-cozens-tickets-1972840298440" target="_blank">here</a>.Friday 28 November, 5pm, E-Staircase Music Room: Piano Recital by Tom Yang.Saturday 29 November, 9-11pm, JCR: Christmas Jazz with Downing Jazz Band.Sunday 30 November, 5-6pm, Heong Gallery: Q&A with James McDermott. Tickets available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/james-mcdermott-speaker-event-tickets-1965653888695?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_campaign=order-confirm-bcc&utm_term=viewevent&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&ref=eemailordconf" target="_blank">here</a>.Sunday 30 November, 6pm, Chapel: Advent Carol Service. Queue early to avoid disappointment.Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome.'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome.-=-=-=-Call for applications: DDS Freshers' Play Director & Producer. If you are interested in either of these roles, please email president@dds.dow.cam.ac.uk.Call for submissions: 'The Leaves'. Email leaves@dow.cam.ac.uk.Staff & Fellows' Carol Service, Monday 15 December: If you would like to sing in the scratch choir, or give a reading, please email college.music@dow.cam.ac.uk

Purchasing Officer David Stroud tells the story of his first encounter with 'Alien'.

MT25.9 In space no one can hear you scream

PhD student Remi Poulard discusses his favourite book.Cover image: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, public domain.-=-=-=-Thursday 20 November, 9pm, Chapel: Choral Compline, followed by port and hot chocolate.Sunday 23 November, 6pm, Chapel: Choral EvensongMonday 24 November, 7.30pm, Chapel: DCMS Organ Recital.Tuesday 25 November, 6-8pm, Heong Gallery: Life Drawing. Register via <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/life-drawing-tickets-1963427840525?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank">Eventbrite</a>.Tuesday 25 November, 9pm, Chapel: Come & Sing Compline.Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome.'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome.-=-=-=-Sunday 23 November, 1pm, St Andrew's, Leytonstone, E11 1JD: Downing alumnus Declan Hickey performs with Lizzie Knatt. More details available <a href="https://www.leytonstoneguide.co.uk/events/picture-house-lizzie-knatt-recorders-declan-hickey-guitar" target="_blank">here</a>.

PhD student Remi Poulard discusses his favourite book.

MT25.8 The Little Prince

Visiting Scholar Demetrius Floudas enthuses about the Mask of Agamemnon, and we hear from one of the directors of this week's DDS show, 'An Evening with Chekhov.'Cover image: Xuan Che, 'Mask of Agamemnon', licensed under the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en" target="_blank">Attribution 2.0</a> Generic license.-=-=-=-Thursday 13 November, 6pm, Emmanuel College Chapel: The Chapel Choir join forces with our friends across the road for a Choral Eucharist featuring Langlais' 'Messe Solennelle'.Thursday 13, Friday 14, and Saturday 15 November, 7.30pm, Howard Theatre: DDS present 'An Evening with Chekhov'. Tickets available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-chekhov-tickets-1967544364158?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank">here</a>.Sunday 16 November, 5.30pm, Chapel: Former Organ Scholar Carl Jackson returns to give a short recital, which will be followed by a Choral Eucharist. Tickets available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carl-jackson-organ-recital-registration-1953268652119" target="_blank">here</a>.Monday 17 November, 5pm, Heong Gallery: Artist Talk with Jerusha West, whose work links with themes of the current Gallery exhibition. Email fl452 for more details.Monday 17 November, 6pm, Music Office, T staircase: Session for beginner singers. Email college.music@dow for more information.Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome.'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome.

Visiting Scholar Demetrius Floudas enthuses about the Mask of Agamemnon, and we hear from one of the directors of this week's DDS show, 'An Evening with Chekhov.'