Deutsche Bank Offshore supports Jersey Instrumental Service Performance of 'Wildlife Celebration'

Deutsche Bank Offshore in conjunction with the Jersey Instrumental Service, is pleased to announce a special performance of Priaulx Rainier's 'Wildlife Celebration' featuring renowned violinist Peter Sheppard Skaerved.

Commissioned by the then Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, and first performed by the Jersey Youth Orchestra in 1984, with violin soloist Yehudi Menuhin, 'Wildlife Celebration' was the focal point of a 'Festival of Animals,' marking both the 21st Anniversary of the Trust and the 25th birthday of the founding of the zoo.

Now, as part of nation-wide centenary celebrations of the birth of South African born composer Rainier, and coincidentally the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust's 40th anniversary, the Orchestra will once again perform this work as a part of their 'Grand Spring Concert,' this time joined by virtuoso violinist Peter Sheppard Skaerved.

Performing both as a concerto and recital soloist, Peter Sheppard Skaerved has recently been nominated for a Gramophone award. He also performs as part of the award winning septet, 'Ensemble Triolog, Munich' and as leader of the highly acclaimed 'Kreutzer Quartet.'

Peter Pichler, Chief Executive of Deutsche Bank Offshore commented

"As always, it is a privilege for Deutsche Bank Offshore to be involved with this impressive musical event.

"For us, it is particularly fitting to be sponsoring this performance of the Wildlife Celebration, as the year it was premiered was the first year a breeding colony for Mauritius pink pigeons was set up in Jersey. Within two years some of these were returned to Mauritius to continue captive breeding there and in 1987 some were released back into the wild. This breeding programme to support a species that faced extinction has been continuing in Jersey and Mauritius ever since and, in 1999, when we set up our banking subsidiary in Mauritius, we entered into a five year sponsorship agreement with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to aid them in their important work to save this rare and beautiful species.

"It gives us great pleasure to see two of our chosen sponsorships come together in this way and we are looking forward to the performance. The dedication of the teachers and staff of the Jersey Instrumental Service in preparing some 500 pupils in the various bands and orchestras cannot be underestimated and the grand finale of Mussorgsky's "Great Gate of Kiev" involving all musicians promises to be a musical feast."

Colin Amos, Head of the Jersey Instrumental Service, added:

"We are especially pleased this year that we have been able to engage the services of virtuoso violinist Peter Sheppard Skaerved to perform alongside the Jersey Youth Orchestra thanks to the additional generous support of our long-term sponsors, Deutsche Bank Offshore.

"This concert represents the culmination of a great deal of hard work and rehearsals undertaken by pupils and staff of the Instrumental Music Service. We are delighted that the performance of the "Wildlife Celebration" will be part of a nationwide celebration of the centenary of the birth of Priaulx Rainier. We look forward to welcoming violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved and to hearing him perform with the Jersey Youth Orchestra.

"Priaulx Rainier was commissioned to write the Wildlife Celebration after Yehudi Menuhin, a great admirer of the composer, accepted an invitation to play with the Youth Orchestra. Initially the plan was for Menuhin to both conduct and play the solo but it became apparent that the piece was too complicated for him to perform this dual role satisfactorily so my predecessor, Mel Davidson, was asked to conduct - a role that Liz Laurens, the Jersey Youth Orchestra's conductor, will be undertaking at this year's concert"

Dr Mark Stanley-Price, Executive Director of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust expressed his delight saying

"I am doubly delighted that the Jersey Instrumental Service has chosen to perform Wildlife Celebration once again in this, the 40th anniversary year of the Trust and that the event is being supported by Deutsche Bank Offshore. Their support for the Trust has been invaluable and has allowed us to continue our ongoing work with the Mauritius Pink Pigeon. Without the unstinting support of organisations such as Deutsche Bank Offshore who help us in our work of saving endangered species worldwide and who nurture artistic endeavour in the next generation, the world would be a poorer place."