A NEW director of music hopes to live up to centuries of tradition as he leads the choir from Magdalen Tower on May Morning.

Mark Williams took the role at Magdalen College earlier this year and will take the choir to the top of the Great Tower as they sing in front of thousands of people gathered below at 6am on Monday.

The annual event is a rich and unique part of Oxford’s heritage – and Mr Williams said he hoped the sun would shine on the choir during his first outing.

He said: “May Morning is a tradition dating back centuries and has a very special place in the hearts of the people of Oxford.

“It’s also something that the choristers here enjoy hugely. But the expectations are high and I know people will be listening out to see if the choir sounds any different under its new director, and singing outside and at 6am isn’t exactly the ideal situation in which to give your most high-profile performance on which the world will judge your conducting.

“But we have been rehearsing and I’m just crossing my fingers that the weather doesn’t scupper us. I know I should expect that not every May Morning of my time in this post will be glorious sunshine, but I do hope that my first isn’t a washout.”

Mr Williams took the role of Informator Choristarum – an ancient title for director of music – in January, when Daniel Hyde left following his appointment in the same role at St Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Prior to coming to Magdalen College, Mr Williams, 38, was director of music, fellow and college lecturer at Jesus College, Cambridge. Before that, he worked at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

He continued: “I’m deeply conscious of the weight of tradition I am inheriting as the new Informator at Magdalen. The choir has enjoyed a long history as one of the finest choirs in the country, if not the world, and a number of my predecessors have been extremely distinguished. I will do my very best to continue that tradition of musical excellence.

Magdalen College choir perform the seven-minute Hymnus Eucharisticus from the college’s tower at 6am. The piece was composed in the 17th century by a Fellow of Magdalen and is sung at each year’s event.

It will be head chorister Harry Gant’s sixth and final time up the tower.

The 13-year-old said: “The whole experience is really fun.

“It’s the one time every year when a big group goes to the top of the tower, and it’s really exciting because you can see loads of people on the ground.

“You can look over the side and wave and hundreds of people start cheering – and I usually don’t have that many fans.”

New chorister Oliver Selzer, 11, will perform at the top of the tower for the first time.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to the whole experience of being up there. I can’t wait.”