La Ronde Concert Band of Jersey: Jersey Evacuees Association – Remembrance Service

Join La Ronde Concert Band of Jersey for the Jersey Evacuees Association Remembrance Service at Albert Quay on Sunday 28 June from noon until 1.00pm. The band will start playing at 11.45am.

About La Ronde Concert Band of Jersey

In 1982 a small band of keen amateur musicians playing woodwind and brass instruments met in the canteen of Highlands College to make music. At that time it was to be a 10-week experiment, initiated by peripatetic brass teacher, Neil Sawyer. The band rehearsed sitting in a circle so that the players could all see Neil who led the rehearsals whilst also playing trombone, hence the name La Ronde (French for circle and semibreve). The experiment endured and over four decades later, the band still meets on a Wednesday evening to rehearse. It has expanded since its early days with members numbering 35-40, including a percussionist and now meets at Chateau Vermont, the home of the Jersey Academy of Music.

Currently around 25 players make up the woodwind section of clarinets, flutes, piccolos  oboes, bassoon and saxophones whilst about 10/12 players make up the  brass section of French horns, trumpets, flugelhorn, trombones, euphonium and tuba. All supported by the percussionist.

La Ronde is made up of adult musicians, both amateurs and current / former professional musicians. Some learned to play their instruments at school, or in the services whilst others started much later in their lives.

The band’s repertoire is wide, ranging from classical to military marches, to music from shows, TV and film.