the first festival of nine lessons and carols at king's college, cambridge, was held on christmas eve in 1918. the music at the first service was directed by arthur henry mann, who was the organist from 1876 to 1929. the choir had 16 trebles which was the number that henry vi said there must be when he founded the college. until 1927 the men in the choir were choral scholars and lay clerks. today, 14 undergraduates from the choir of king's college, cambridge, sing the men's parts.