Chapel Choir Jersey Tour 2022

The S. Anselm’s Chapel Choir were delighted to stage a six day Tour of Jersey in March 2022, featuring a series of concerts in prestigious venues across the island.

The Chapel Choir’s 2022 Tour to Jersey, led by our Director of Music, Mark Percival, was a resounding success and was much enjoyed by choristers and staff alike – especially so after two years’ of music making were very limited due to Covid-19. We are grateful to the Jersey Academy of Music for their assistance in coordinating the tour and for hosting our choristers throughout their stay at the beautiful Chateau Vermont.

The Jersey Tour follows many successful tours by the choir, most recently to Prague, Saltzburg and Valladolid in Spain.

Saturday 19th March

On Saturday 19th March the S. Anselm’s Chapel Choir led by Head Chorister, Emelia left beautiful Derbyshire to embark upon the 2022 Choir Tour to island of Jersey. After a short flight from Manchester airport they headed straight to Chateau Vermont, home to Jersey Academy of Music. After quickly dropping off the bags they walked to St. Saviours Church to rehearse for the following Sunday morning service.

Sunday 20th March

Our Sunday morning church service at St. Saviour’s Parish Church was impressively undertaken by the Choir and the children were warmly greeted by both the congregation and Father Martin. Many parents attended the formal service which was also streamed live to parents at home. Mozart’s ‘Ave Verum’ and Rutter’s ‘The Lord Bless You and Keep You’ were beautifully performed.

Later that evening a joint choral concert with the Jersey Academy of Music choristers and S. Anselm’s instrumentalists performed a wonderful concert which included among the programme, the substantial ‘Les Miserables’ Medley. This was wonderfully sung with passion from the choir. Joint pieces included ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ and ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’.

Supper followed at the Chateau, with 30 S. Anselm’s parents and friends in attendance, kindly supporting the tour.

Monday 21st March

After breakfast the Chapel Choir departed for our visit to the Jersey Prep Schools. Two stunning performances delivered to entire schools ensued with rapturous applause first from the Jersey College Girls Prep School and then from the Victoria College Boys Prep School. Neither school had enjoyed full assemblies since before the Covid-19 epidemic and therefore the Chapel Choir and soloists were met with awe and amazement.

The afternoon was full of well deserved fun and relaxation at La Haule Manor Hotel and St Ouens Bay. Our sincere thanks to Mr and Mrs Hobson.

Tuesday 22nd March

Following yet another lovely breakfast the children headed out to the historic Gorey Castle on the east coast of Jersey for a full guided tour of this historically rich castle. A short a Capella concert in the castle grounds, bathed in glorious sunshine, was attended by many parents and public.

The weather remained outstanding with beautiful sunshine that required a late afternoon exhilarating blowkarting experience at St Ouens Bay, which did not disappoint.

Wednesday 23rd March

A maritime museum excursion in the morning was following by shopping in St Helier (very much enjoyed by everyone).

Later in the afternoon the choir enjoyed the walk to the Georgetown Methodist Church for a rehearsal and evening concert, the largest yet, with a full programme and public audience. Outstanding soloists from the Jersey Academy of Music performed extremely challenging repertoire, but the Chapel Choir rose to the challenge and reciprocated with spine-tingling performances of ‘Litany to the Holy Spirit’ and ‘Les Miserablès Medley’ plus instrumentalists Emelia on French horn with Mozart’s horn concerto and Georgie’s Angelus on a concert harp impressed a delighted Jersey audience. This certainly was the crème de la crème concert of the tour.

Thursday 24th March

The choristers spent the morning packing their suitcases before an afternoon at St Brelades beach relaxing in glorious sunshine, before returning to Manchester Airport and subsequent transfer to school.

Our thanks to all the wonderful parents who supported the tour both in Jersey and at home and to all the dedicated staff who oversaw the success of the Tour.