Hearing Stones at St Martin's Church

Following last summer’s well-received Pilgrimage to Bach concert series, Guernsey-born violin virtuoso David Le Page has joined forces with local writers Simon De La Rue and Gillian Jackson to produce a celebration - through music and the spoken word - of the famously hard-wearing rock on which the island’s culture has developed.

The project will culminate in three, candle-lit, evening concerts in some of our most ancient churches.

Simon and Gillian have produced original short stories based on historical events in each of the three parishes, along with poetry from the perspective of the stones themselves and have prepared extracts from well-known novels set in Guernsey - all of which will be performed by local actors.

David has created a suitable sonic landscape around this, which incorporates music composed between the 14th and 21st Centuries, interspersed with bespoke sound design and field recordings intended to reflect the breadth and
imagination of the stories told.

Music for solo violin from the French Renaissance via Marin Marais, Heinrich Biber, Georg Telemann, Eugène Ysaÿe, Philip Glass, Max Richter, Yann Tiersen and John Corigliano will be performed, alongside David’s original compositions, as well as reimaginings of local folk melodies.

Due to generous funding from Guernsey Arts, there will be no admission charge for these concerts. Patrons can choose to participate in a retiring collection, if they wish to help fund
future, similar projects.

‘Guernsey Arts is delighted to support the Hearing Stones project,’ said Head of Arts Development Russ Fossey. ‘This series brings together wonderfully talented people to
perform a unique series of concerts in the beautiful setting of our ancient churches. It promises to be something quite special.’

Concert dates are as follows:

16 August 2024, 8pm - St Andrew’s Church
17 August 2024, 8pm - St Martin’s Church
18 August 2024, 8pm - Town Church