The community is invited to enjoy a performance by more than a hundred children from St. John when the All-Island Children’s Choir presents a concert at the Julius E. Sprauve School auditorium in Cruz Bay on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free.
Each fall, the St. John All Island Children’s Choir brings together the children in grades three through five from all three St. John elementary schools ––the Julius E. Sprauve School, the Gifft Hill School, and the St. John Christian Academy. Together, they perform uplifting and inspiring songs in the three main languages of the community: English, Spanish, and Kreyòl.
“Bring tissues,” said choir director Kristen Carmichael-Bowers. “These singers have a way of getting to you.”
Carmichael-Bowers, who has been rehearsing with the youngsters since early October, founded the choir nearly 10 years ago because “Singing together raises the children’s self-esteem and nurtures a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves.”
Recently, she had one of those “tissue” moments when she asked 10-year-old Nemoi Williams to speak about the choir for a short promotional video.
“The best thing about singing is that I get to do it with all my friends,” Williams said. “Basically I get to have this social experience. When I sing alone, it just feels like emptiness, and that’s why I like singing with my friends.”
For those who can’t attend in person, the concert will be livestreamed on AllAhWeTV’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel or by clicking here.
The St. John All-Island Children’s Choir is one of four programs presented by Sing St. John, which is supported solely by community donations and grants.
Sing St. John is deep into its annual fall appeal to raise $200,000 to meet its operating expenses for community singing programs for all ages in 2024-25. They have been gifted a matching grant generously offered by Martha and Dana Robes.
“It’s an incredible time to donate to Sing St. John,” said Carmichael-Bowers. “Donations can be made online with a credit or debit card, or through PayPal by clicking this link https://www.singstohn.org/support-us.html. Checks can be mailed to Sing St. John, Box 1173, St. John, VI 00831.”
“Sing St. John is sustained by the generosity of our community members and businesses, as well as by grants from the Virgin Islands Lottery and MidAtlantic Arts,” said Carmichael-Bowers. “This project is jointly supported by a grant from the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC, a federal agency.”
For further information, call 340-227-4920 or send an email to info@singstjohn.org.
