A unique concert will take place later this month, organised by Jersey Music Service in partnership with the Jersey Symphony Orchestra, where young musicians from Antigua and Barbuda will join forces with their Jersey counterparts.
The concert forms part of the official celebrations as a delegation from Antigua and Barbuda visit the Island. The Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra (ABYSO) is visiting Jersey from Tuesday 17 October until Thursday 19 October.
The orchestra will partner with young musicians from Jersey for the concert on Wednesday 18 October at Les Quennevais School and perform as a combined orchestra. Young local musicians aged between 13-25 (on 1 September 2023) of Grade 4+ standard have been invited to attend a series of rehearsal sessions, led by the Jersey Symphony Orchestra, leading up to the visit.
The next rehearsal is on 6 October and eligible musicians who have not yet signed up can do so via the Jersey Symphony Orchestra website. The joint official hosts for the visit are Minister for Children and Young People, Deputy Inna Gardiner, and Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Deputy Kirsten Morel.
Tickets for the concert, which will be free for all to attend, will be available via the Jersey Music Service website from Wednesday 4 October.
Dr Graham Cox, Principal of the Jersey Music Service, said: “We are looking forward to working with the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra and celebrating this cultural partnership between the Government of Jersey and Antigua and Barbuda. This will provide the opportunity for young musicians on the Island to come together to collaborate with those visiting and actively participate in this cultural exchange, which we hope to continue through a reciprocal visit currently being planned.”
Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said: “I’m pleased to welcome the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra to Jersey. This most recent partnership builds upon the close engagement we have enjoyed with our colleagues in Antigua and Barbuda since we first partnered with them in 2022 and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the islands' equally important hospitality sectors.
“I am delighted that this relationship continues to grow and that we’ve expanded our collaboration into the arts - a sure sign of the positive relationship between our Islands.”
Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said: “I am pleased to welcome our friends from Antigua and Barbuda to Jersey for this important visit. It’s not only good to make connections between our islands but also for young people to have the opportunity to take part in an orchestra together.
“This is a fantastic, unique experience and one I am sure will be memorable for them for years to come. I’d like to thank the Jersey Music Service and everyone involved in this visit for the opportunity which has been created.”