Katie Targett-Adams (Medieval & Modern Languages, 1997)
Katie read Medieval & Modern Languages at Hertford, but felt her true calling in life was as a musician. Now based in Hong Kong, she combines a life of music-making in Asia with working with the Chinese Miss Universe training team, and as an etiquette tutor.
My father gave me the middle name ‘Emma’ after his Cambridge college, Emmanuel; when I wrote to the college asking if my five Scottish Highers would be accepted there, I received a disheartening response. As the dream of following in my father’s footsteps faded away, Hertford opened the door to my own unique university experience at Oxford, the ‘other one’. I appreciated Hertford’s welcoming attitude to diversity, which was also palpable on day one as a fresher. There is no ‘typical’ Oxford student at Hertford; just real people from all walks of life.
My passion for studying languages didn’t equip me with a clear sense of vocation. My career path became clearer when I was offered the opportunity to sing and play my harp in Washington DC, an invitation I initially decline as I was also preparing for my finals. However, my parents advised me to call back, and the rest is history.
My next break came after graduating, when I was spotted singing and playing at Stirling Castle and was invited to perform in Nanning, China, by an embassy official. I subsequently learned Mandarin, made easy by my Hertford training, and I am now based in Hong Kong. It turns out that there aren’t so many harpists from Scotland singing in Chinese across Asia, and so I found my professional niche, providing a cultural link for ‘East meets West’. I have performed at many governmental, diplomatic and British royal events and given solo concerts to thousands of people in China.
One performance I will always treasure will be the Centenary Celebrations of Hertford Bridge. The college invited me to give a concert before the black tie dinner celebrations. It was a huge privilege to let the echoes of my voice and harp fill the wooden walled room in OB quad, blending memories of a student Oxford with my professional life. The following day’s performance in the marquee ended up with dancing alongside Will Hutton, Hertford tutors, staff, supporters and friends – surreal and wonderful all at the same time.
Recently I added another string to my bow, certainly boosted by my credentials of an Oxford education. Four years ago, I was approached by a television director after a music performance in Shanghai. She asked me to coach the Miss Universe China candidates in performance skills on the show. Gradually a new career emerged for me and now I am also a fully-fledged British etiquette tutor in China.