Outreach in schools highly valued

Peter Donohoe at the masterclass at JAM.

On 18th October following a series of outreach events in schools supported by Citibank reaching over 540 children at schools from Plat Douet to Springfield, we were delighted to take part in partnership with Jersey College for Girls and the Jersey Academy of Music a masterclass with international soloist Peter Donohoe which featured 3 talented Jersey students.

Outreach taken by Julius Bannister at St Luke’s school supported by Citibank.

Following the outreach work, the Jersey Chamber Orchestra performed a concert of some of Mozart’s best loved works at the Jersey Opera House on 19th October with over £1000 raised for Durrell under the direction of acclaimed conductor Eamonn Dougan and supported by Aberdeen Standard Capital. 

Legendary pianist Peter Donohoe performed Mozart’s Piano Concert No. 20 showing some beautiful phrasing as well as the ability to sing alongside the orchestra. Local opera singer Maj Donoghue and Georgie-Mae Bishop sang a selection of arias from the opera The Marriage of Figaro and Cosi Fan Tutte.  The second half finished with a performance of Mozart’s Symphony No.31, the ‘Paris’, written when the musical genius was only 22 years old. 

Georgie Mae Bishop sings Mozart with the Jersey Chamber Orchestra

Mozart Programme

Overture, Don Giovanni

Piano Concerto No 20

Arias from Marriage of Figaro

Symphony No 31 “Paris”

Jersey Chamber Orchestra - "Night at the Oscars" - 26th Jan 2019

An exciting and dramatic night of film music was performed by the Jersey Chamber Orchestra with many highlights. From the touching notes of the slow movement of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto played by JCO clarinettist Jordi Juan Perez to Po Una Cabeza from Scent of a Woman played beautifully by Anna Smith the audience were spellbound. The orchestra was particularly dramatic in the Star Wars Overture and the Jaws Theme and uplifting in such rousing melodies as Indiana Jones’ Raiders March.

A trio of music from Lord of the Rings was sung beautifully by St Michael’s School Chamber Choir.  The concert raised around £2,000 funds for the Oscar Maclean Foundation.  Conductor Eamonn Dougan led the orchestra strongly and under his baton there was some very high class playing.  The Jersey Chamber Choir sang the Lacrimosa from the Mozart Requiem beautifully also seen in Amadeus and Danni Le Feuvre made a triumphant return to Jersey singing Skyfall from James Bond.

The concert was supported by by Mulberry Estates & UBS Wealth Management.

Celebration of Armistice

The Celebration Of Armistice

We would like to warmfully thank everyone that participated in the ‘The celebration of armistice’
event on the 10th of November which turned out to be an astonishing evening for all involved.

With the presence of figures such as the Lieutenant Governor and the Baliff of Jersey, Sir William Bailhache, many of our Jersey community came together to remember the fallen.

We enjoyed performances from the Jersey Chamber Orchestra, the Band of the Island of Jersey, the Jersey Sings Choir, the Jersey Armistice Choir and the Jersey Youth theatre, beside Kate Royal, who gave off a performance worthy of great recognition.

We loved the spirit and enthusiasm that everyone had shown on the day and we too as a charity cannot thank everyone enough for their participation and efforts.

---

Musical 5K Fun Run - 1st Family Frundraiser!

It was a beautifully sunny day on 22nd July and runners were out in force for Music In Action’s first ever Musical 5K Fun Run. Young and old took part and ran to the beat through the beautiful green lanes of St Saviour early on a Sunday morning.

Some incredible musical acts lined the roads and performed an array of different genres to keep the runner’s spirts high. The Badlabeques, Dixieland Jazz, The Island band of Jersey, Maisie Robertson and the Jersey Samba band were just a few of the acts that wowed us with their talent.

'“Great event! Thank you to everyone who organised marshalled and played the music! Much better than a quiet 5k that’s for sure!”

To all that came and took part in our Musical 5K Fun Run, we'd like to say a huge thank you - It was a wonderfully uplifting day raising money for Jersey Sings. Thank you also to 3D events for their meticulous planning and support, to Human Health for sponsoring our event and ElFuego for nourishing all with their delicious food.

We are already looking forward to next year!

Jersey Sings returned in June 2018 with 1200 participants

Bopping up and down, singing their hearts out and loving having a live music experience, on 26th and 27th July around 1200 children, chaperones and volunteers came together to perform at Jersey Sings 2018 over two nights of wonderful music making demonstrating skills from Swahili to dance moves and beautiful music.

Led by the Jersey Sings Band and conductor David Lawrence 28 schools and choirs from Mont A L'Abbe to Janvrin learnt around 3000 words by heart.  

Children spent 10 weeks learning and improving breathing and posture, confidence, teamwork, and developing the physical stamina to sing for nearly 2 hours on their feet.  It was a remarkable achievement for each child.

The results were described by the teachers as: "It was very special and wonderful" and "Absolutely everything about this event is valuable."

The children said, "Wow" , "It was fantastic...I just love singing" and, "I didn't want to stop!"  

We are very grateful to the teachers who made this happen by coaching their children songs from pop, rock, choral, african and other great musical styles at Jersey Sings 2018.  We are interested in ideas for music in 2019

To watch the Highlights from 2018 Click here

Liberation Festival 10th Anniversary attended by thousands

The 10th Liberation International Music Festival ended with a flourish with an encore by the Kosmos Ensemble with the Jersey Chamber Orchestra after a new commission called Triple Concerto by Errollyn Wallen MBE for the trio Kosmos and orchestra.   

The Festival was a tremendous triumph from start to finish.  From the opening at a Musical Walk around the wartime bunkers at Corbiere, to the educational outreach events, to evening concerts, thousands of people attended and gave plaudits to the musicians.  

The Musical Walk was the first time that music had been played in the bunkers at Corbiere since the sounds of a gramophone during the occupation by the German soldiers.  The walk explored the headland overlooking Corbiere Lighthouse which features a series of interlocking bunkers built to guard both bays to the North and East. Starting at Corbiere Phare, and led by Blue badge guide Ned Malet de Cateret, around 80 walkers were serenaded by brass band Five Brass Souls. After visiting the slipway to Corbiere lighthouse, they descended into the atmospheric bunkers across the headland where they heard Bach from violinist Harriet Mackenzie and cellist Dora Kokas before retiring to the nearby restaurant for a well deserved rest.

The walk was followed by an unforgettable evening concert featuring Dora Kokas playing Kodaly's cello sonata and Bach's cello suite in C.  The M19 Mortar Bunker is about 50 m long and with exits at both ends, the sound was like a pure shot of caffeine shooting through each of the audience members carrying perfectly to the end of the tunnel and then disappearing without any substantial echo.  The fine playing was applauded strongly by the audience before Dora was joined by violinist Harriet Mackenzie for a well received encore of the Handel Passacaglia.       

Soon after the Festival saw the arrival of celebrated players including violinist Boris Brovtsyn, violists Jennifer Stumm and Simone Van Giessen, cellist Christian Pierre La Marca at the invitation of violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky.  A vibrant concert was performed on Saturday 12th May at Jersey Opera House featuring the Brahms Sextet in Bb major and Mendelssohn's Octet for strings sponsored by UBS Wealth Management.  Compered by actress Cathy Sara the event also featured texts from the occupation highlighting the perils of living in the island in this turbulent period.  The diary of Thelma Richercoeur was read by young student Madeleine Byrne telling of the bombing of St Helier and her persuading Field Marshall Montgomery to grant the children a bank holiday which is still followed today.   The concert concluded with a rendition of Happy Birthday to mark the Festival's 10th anniversary.

Jersey Chamber Orchestra - "Night at the Oscars" - 27th Jan 2018

An exciting and dramatic night of film music was performed by the Jersey Chamber Orchestra with many acclaiming the highlight to be the effervescent soloist Jean Efflam Bazouvet in Beethoven's Emperor Piano Concerto.  The playing of the orchestra was particularly touching in Wagner's Prelude to Tristan and Isolde while audience favourites included Mozart's Marriage of Figaro Overture (in the film Trading Places), and Jesu Joy of Mans Desiring (in the film Minority Report) sung beautifully by Beaulieu Covent School Choir.  The concert raised funds for the Oscar Maclean Foundation.  Conductor Graham Walker led the orchestra strongly and under his baton there was some very high class playing.  The concert was supported by by Estera, Mulberry Estates &
UBS Wealth Management.

Jersey Chamber Orchestra 'Classics from Vienna' Saturday October 7th 2017

Called Classics from Vienna, the event featured popular classical music written in the beautiful city of Vienna in aid of the Jersey Child Care Trust.  The Trust’s fantastic services support and directly assist children and their families in Jersey.

The programme included Beethoven’s wonderful and dramatic Pastoral Symphony, and his Coriolan Overture. Special guest soloist Martin Owen, widely regarded as one of Europe’s leading horn players, also performed Mozart’s popular 4th Horn concerto. We were equally proud to feature the acclaimed Justin Doyle, Chief Conductor of the RIAS Kammerchor in Berlin to direct the Jersey Chamber Orchestra.

Members of the Jersey Chamber Orchestra also went into nine schools across Jersey, engaging with over 1000 school children about the music of Mozart.