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About us
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'Last Night at the Proms' performance |
The Island Churches Guernsey Festival Chorus is Guernsey's popular and award winning choir. It is also known as Guernsey's Community Choir and celebrated its 21st anniversary in 2006.
Established in 1985 by the Musical Director Roy Sarre, the Choir is a chorus of 100+ voices drawn from all island churches and parishes. It is interdenominational both in style and presentation and its Mission Statement is based on the Evangelical Alliance of London's Mission Statement "To offer our Praise to Almighty God".
The Choir has filled churches and concert halls in the Channel Islands and performed on both national and local television and radio. Closer to home, our Holiday-maker concerts feature prominently and attract visitors from all over the World.
The Choir is associated with Christian Arts (Europe), the Evangelical Alliance, The Royal School of Church Music, the Guernsey Council of Churches and also works with Churches Together in England. It is supported locally by Christian Arts Guernsey set up by Roy and Maddie Sarre to facilitate the establishment of the choir and to promote Christian music and Christian artistes in the Channel Islands.
The Festival Chorus is not generally expected to be a fund raising group, instead it concentrates on spreading the gospel through music. However it does allow for an annual surplus of around £1,000 which is donated to various charities. In past years these have included the Guernsey Romanian Aid Appeal, the Bible Society in Swindon, Les Bourgs Hospice, Christian Aid and other local charities. At the Christmas 2002 concerts, £3,500 was raised for the African Childrens' Aids and Orphans appeal and a further £2,000 for this fund in 2006 (Christmas concerts) and £750 in 2007.
As a Millennium event, we twinned with the Cambrensis Choir of Wales and the London Emmanuel Choir. Over the years many guest artists from the United Kingdom have come over to share their gifts with the Choir.
In 2002, the choir received a nomination for the Guiton Guernsey Ambassador of the Year Award - more details.
We sing in local hospitals and churches as well as participating in St Peter Port Carnival, Liberation Day, Floral Guernsey and Christmas events.
In 2006, the Choir featured in the National BBC TV Songs of Praise programme and recorded three choir broadcasts for BBC Radio 2 World Service broadcasts Sunday Half Hour.
The Choir always welcomes new members of all ages from 15 to 50 years of age. See our Join the Choir Page for more details
| Musical Director | Roy Sarre |
| Accompanist | Andrew Warren (piano/organ) |
| Principal Voices | Jose Paine, Lindsey Veillard, Richard Cann, Pierre Tostevin and Andrew Dyke. |
| Secretary | Pauline Merrien, Mary Osborn & June Carter. |
| Treasurer | Philip & Maggie Marr, Josh Paine |
| Choir Chaplain | Revd Andrew Sharp (Vice Dean) |
| Choir Support Group | Roy & Maddie Sarre, David & Kolleen Packham & Ron Nicholls-Pratt |
| Front of House Manager | Ray Duquemin |
| Box Office Manager | Maddie Sarre |
| Sound & Lighting | Colin Torode |
Our Mission Statement
To offer our Praise to Almighty God