MORE than 1,200 entries have been received for the three sections of this year’s Jersey Eisteddfod Festivals of Performing Arts taking place at venues across the Island in the next month.
With many classes involving groups, the organisers highlight the involvement of thousands of Islanders in the three festivals which begin this week at Les Quennevais School with the dance section, returning after a year’s absence.
And a new marking scheme which applies to the Music and English, Speech and Drama sections will allow competitors in Jersey to be judged according to standards applied by adjudicators at similar events across the British Isles.
Chair of the music section Mrs Sue de Gruchy said they were looking forward to this year’s classes which would involve musicians competing at four different venues – the Jersey Arts Centre, Château Vermont, the St Helier Methodist Centre and St Martin’s Methodist Church.
“We hope people will come and support the competitors, and we’re very excited this year to be taking music out from St Helier and into the parishes,” she said, adding that this year they had also rediscovered a trophy donated by philanthropist Lady Florence Boot for junior choirs which had not been presented for 60 years.
Beginning tomorrow and running until Saturday 2 November, the dance festival leads to the celebration of music which runs from 10 to 16 November. English, Speech and Drama takes place at the Jersey Arts Centre from Monday 18 to Saturday 23 November with the final gala event incorporating the young actor of the year award.
Full details of this year’s classes are available on the Jersey Eisteddfod website: jerseyeisteddfod.org.je.
