Lullabies have been part of our sleep rituals since ancient times. They often stay with us all our lives and are passed on orally through the generations. Lullabies are woven into the fabric of family life across different cultures.

Esther Rose Parkes and Susanne Kudielka have been creating a lullaby portrait of Jersey by collecting, sharing, writing and performing lullabies from different cultures and demographics in Jersey. This three-year community-based project involves those who wish to share their lullabies, alongside musicians, visual artists, community practitioners and community organisations. So far, the collection includes lullabies in Jèrriais, German, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Zulu, Sotho, Dutch, Vietnamese and English. 

Musicians Beth Allen, Janet Swan, Carol Donaldson, Thabo Mkwananzi, Katie Rose Bennett, and Esther Rose Parkes were commissioned in spring 2024 this year to work with the collection of over 60 lullabies to create choir arrangements for the Lullaby Choir. This commissioning process resulted in 14 choir pieces. The next phase involved recruiting members for the lullaby choir, with rehearsals starting at the beginning of September.

After 11 weeks of learning and rehearsing original and traditional lullabies, specially arranged for the Lullaby Choir, they will perform songs in Urdu, Dutch, Māori, and English at two upcoming performances: one at St Helier Town Church on 30 November and another at St Mary’s Church on 7 December 2024.

Led by Esther Rose Parkes, with fellow artist Susanne Kudielka, the Lullaby Choir is a unique mix of individuals with varying levels of experience in singing united by a shared passion for lullabies and singing.

Find out more about the two performances on our events page here.

Find out more about The Lullaby Choir here.

The Lullaby Project is curated and produced by artists Esther Rose Parkes and Susanne Kudielka with The Moving Arts Collective and co-commissioned by ArtHouse Jersey. It has received support from The One Foundation, Jersey Community Foundation with funds from the Channel Islands Lottery and a Connect Me Government Grant.