Christ Church has been a home to musical excellence since its foundation. One of its earliest employees was John Taverner, appointed in 1525 as the first Informator Choristarum (instructor of the choristers) of Cardinal College. He quickly established himself as a composer of national significance, and his music survived the strictures of the Reformation to be copied even a century after its composition. More recently, Taverner and his music inspired Peter Maxwell Davies in the composition of orchestral pieces and an opera.

During the study day, a panel of distinguished scholars – including Magnus Williamson (Newcastle University), Kerry McCarthy (Independent Scholar), Andrew Hope (Independent Scholar), David Skinner (Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge), Nicholas Jones (Cardiff University) and David Maw (Christ Church, Oxford) – gave illustrated talks to introduce and discuss his life, his work, and his legacy.