12 February 2010
A choir of more than 450 primary school children will join the King’s Chamber Orchestra to record a new version of the anthem ‘Island Home’ on Friday 26 February 2010.
Later that day local adult choirs will also come together with the Band of the Island of Jersey and a number of different recordings of the piece will be produced to promote the anthem within the Island.
Although the sheet music and a sound recording have been made available on the States website for some time, it was always intended that other versions of the anthem should be produced. Working with its composer Gerard Le Feuvre, a plan has been devised to promote greater public awareness and appreciation of 'Island Home' before asking the States to consider adopting it as Jersey’s anthem.
Deputy James Reed, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, said that he hoped that the new recordings, which will be made available to all groups wishing to use the anthem and generally to the public through the States website, would help ensure that it is much more widely known.
“We need to do more to encourage use of the anthem and I hope that these recordings will help do just that. They will include arrangements which are particularly suitable for singing on formal occasions.
“Children from 25 primary schools have been learning the anthem and will come together as a massed choir at the St Helier Methodist Centre when they will have the chance to record it with an orchestra of professional musicians directed by the composer, Gerard Le Feuvre,” he said.
Mr Le Feuvre said that he was greatly looking forward to making the recordings. “I have had overwhelmingly positive feedback concerning my anthem, but am equally aware that many do not know it at all. This recording has galvanised great enthusiasm from the Islands primary schools, most of which are taking part, and is a good step towards encouraging pride in our Island and introducing the general public to the anthem also.”
The sheet music for the anthem, along with information about its composition, is currently available on the States website and the new recordings will replace existing versions which can be downloaded.
Children taking part in the recording will have the added bonus of a short schools concert performed by the King’s Chamber Orchestra while the recordings are being checked.
The new versions will be available to the public in March 2010.
Anthem for Jersey
gov.je