Imagine if you could hear the same sounds that your ancestors from a thousand years ago heard. How would you feel? Would you feel the fear of persecution? Would you run and claim sanctuary? Would you think of devils and witches, or liberation and triumph? This work provides an opportunity to reflect on your ancestor's sonic memories, whether sacred or secular - whichever side of history they chose to take.

Emily de Gruchy has a keen interest in how Jersey's religious outlook changed depending on which geopolitical events were occurring either between England and France, or in each respective country. There were many people over hundreds of years that flocked to the Island to practise their faith free from the risk of persecution, and in tandem brought with them their musical heritage. Jersey's sacred music history is a fascinating amalgamation of political, societal and religious perspectives still engrained in the Island's culture today.

Emily's work was presented in the form of a sound installation, using a mix of field recordings she made during 2023 of church bells around Jersey and open-source sound material/ The installation takes the listener on a chronological journey through different forms of sacred and secular bellringing practices from the Island. Over the space of an hour, visitors could follow an audio timeline from the beginning of the 11th century through to the end of the 20th century, mixed with ecclesiastical soundscapes and sonic reimaginings of traditional Island folkloric tales and traditions.

“This unique and ambitious installation functions as a teleportation device through which to explore the entanglement of historical and cultural processes within the archive. At the hands of this work, we travel back and through time at the speed of ecclesiastical tonality.” - Daniel Heaven, on La Sonn’nie D’Clioches

Mixed and Mastered by Matt Norriss

La Sonn'nie D'Clioches — a sound installation

If you are interested in working with Emily, please email degruchycomposer@gmail.com 🧩💭

Emily has worked with several ensembles & soloists, including the performer-composer Sam Pugh, Terra Invisus, the Carducci Quartet, Sandbox Percussion, the Riot Ensemble, the Hermes Experiment, Transitions Dance Company, the Manchester Contemporary Youth Opera, the Royal Holloway New Music Collective, and the National Centre for Early Music. She has also been commissioned by several cultural organisations, including Jersey Heritage, ArtHouse Jersey and Art for Guernsey.

Born and raised in Jersey, Channel Islands, traditional Jèrriais culture often influences her compositions, providing a unique amalgamation of French and British sonorities. In recent years, her career has moved towards sonic art and soundscapes, which has led her to collaborate with and compose for cultural heritage and charity organisations - something that she enjoys deeply, and has aimed to bring her prior experiences from working with many professional ensembles back home to Jersey.