Commemoration ball explained

A Commemoration ball is a formal ball held by one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in the 9th week of Trinity Term, the week after the end of the last Full Term of the academic year, which is known as "Commemoration Week". Commemoration balls are held by different colleges each year, following a cycle by which each college holds a ball every three years.[1]

Commemoration Week is so known because of the ceremonies in commemoration of the benefactors of the university that are held then, namely the Commemoration Day sermon formerly held (until 2006) on the Sunday, and the Encaenia ceremony (where the annual Creweian Oration in honour of benefactors is given) and garden party on the Wednesday of that week. Commemoration Week was formerly one of two occasions when balls were traditionally held, the other being Eights Week, the 5th week of Trinity term when the Summer Eights rowing races occur. Eights balls are nowadays comparatively rare.

Definition

There is no formal definition of a Commemoration ball, but the usual Oxford convention is to refer only to the larger, triennial balls as Commemoration balls. The dress code is usually white tie. Many other colleges hold smaller events during Commemoration Week that they call summer balls or parties rather than Commemoration balls. These are usually held on an annual or irregular basis, and are usually black tie. Merton College holds a triennial winter ball.[2]

Recent and upcoming balls

In the past, Commemoration balls were held "night after night"[3] by different colleges during Commemoration Week. With many colleges now holding smaller annual summer balls, Commemoration balls are now held by only some of the larger colleges, who still follow the traditional triennial cycle. Oriel College hosts a ball in the first year of the three-year cycle, and until recently Magdalen College also did. However Magdalen College cancelled their ball in 2015 at the last minute downgrading to a smaller affair. Currently, in the second year, there are Commemoration balls held by New College and The Queen's College. In the third year, there are now four colleges with this honour (Worcester College, Christ Church, Trinity College, St. John's College).

The 2005 Christ Church Commemoration ball was the first to be held by that college for fifteen years because of an incident at the 1990 ball that led to the Governing Body suspending the ball and replacing it with an annual summer party until 2005. Until 1990 the three great Oxford choral foundations of Magdalen College (first year), New College (second year) and Christ Church (third year) held their "white tie" Commemoration Balls in consecutive years on a triennial basis, each being widely regarded as the most prestigious ball being held in Oxford in that year, but the 1990 incident at Christ Church upset the tradition as various other colleges claimed Christ Church's (third year) slot, and continue to do so after the Christ Church Ball was reinstated in 2005. The cancellation of Magdalen College's (first year) Commemoration Ball in 2015, and its reinstatement in the "New College" (second) year of 2016, completed the break with tradition.

In 2013, Balliol College held a Commemoration ball to mark the 750th Anniversary of the College's foundation, the 2023 Commemoration ball will be only the third Commemoration held at the College since 1969.[4] Similarly, the commemoration ball hosted by Worcester College on 27 June 2014 was the highlight of celebrations to mark the college's tercentenary.[5] In 2024, Pembroke College held a Commemoration ball celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the College's foundation for which general admission tickets sold out in 12 seconds.[6]

Performances

Commemoration ball organising committees generally seek to secure private performances from leading entertainers; some notable performances are listed below.

2022
2019
2018
2017
2016
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
1999
1973
1964

See also

External links

2018 Balls

2016 Balls

2015 Balls

2014 Balls

2013 Balls

2012 Balls

2011 Balls

Notes and References

  1. Balsdon, J.P.V.D.: Oxford Life, page 240. Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1957
  2. Web site: Merton College Winter Ball.
  3. Balsdon, J.P.V.D (supra)
  4. Web site: Balliol 750th Anniversary Commemoration Ball. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121213010121/http://www.balliol750.co.uk/. 13 December 2012. dmy-all.
  5. Web site: Worcester College Commemoration Ball 2014 . 2013-08-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130904030635/http://thetercentenaryball.co.uk/ . 4 September 2013 . dmy-all .
  6. Web site: Ticket reselling attracts controversy as college balls sell out in seconds. dmy-all.
  7. Web site: New College Commemoration Ball 2013 . www.newcollegeball.co.uk . 22 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130216105352/http://www.newcollegeball.co.uk/ . 16 February 2013 . dead.
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20020722071408/http://www.thetrinityball.com/ Trinity College Ball
  9. Web site: Worcester College Commemoration Ball 2014 . 2013-08-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130904030635/http://thetercentenaryball.co.uk/ . 4 September 2013 . dmy-all .
  10. Christ Church Commemoration Ball 2014 http://christchurchball.co.uk
  11. St John's College Ball http://ball.sjc.ox.ac.uk/
  12. Web site: Summer Ball.
  13. Web site: Archived copy . 2013-12-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131208202048/http://exeter-live.nsms.ox.ac.uk/node/1257 . 8 December 2013 . dmy-all .
  14. Web site: Bridge of Sighs Commemoration Ball . 2014-02-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140516184525/http://bridgeofsighsball.co.uk/ . 16 May 2014 . dmy-all .
  15. New College Ball Web site: New College Commemoration Ball 2013 . 2013-05-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130627131855/https://newcollegeball.co.uk/ . 27 June 2013 . dmy-all .
  16. Magdalen College Ball http://www.magdalenball.com
  17. The Queen's College Ball https://ousu.org/organisation/9590/
  18. http://www.trinity-ball.com
  19. Web site: Archived copy . 14 March 2019 . 19 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190319041852/http://www.orielball.co.uk/ . dead .
  20. https://www.pembrokeball2024.co.uk/
  21. Web site: The Trinity College Commemoration Ball 2017 - Music & Entertainment . 2017-04-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170414084147/https://www.trinity-ball.com/music-entertainment . 14 April 2017 . dmy-all .
  22. Web site: Archived copy . 2016-01-10 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033132/http://christchurchball.co.uk/onewebmedia/Programme.pdf . 4 March 2016 . dmy-all .
  23. http://thetercentenaryball.co.uk/images/PDF/Programme.pdf{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
  24. Trinity Commemoration Ball 27 June 2014 Programme
  25. Web site: Tour calendar | ITB | International Talent Booking. Live music booking agency London.
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-MSa2fbEKc Athlete at Magdalen College Ball 2012 on YouTube
  27. http://jasryn.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/oriel-college-commemoration-ball-2012.html Oriel College Ball 2012
  28. http://www.thecommemorationball2011.com/ Worcester College Commemoration Ball 2011 :: The Grand Tour
  29. http://www.thetrinityball.com/the-night.php Trinity Commemoration Ball 2011 :: The Night

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