Combined choirs of Choeur Vega and SMCC

Choeur Vega from Evreux in Normandy, under their conductor Sandrine Jouffrey have made two visits to Wolverhampton and the proposed third visit planned for 2005 coincided with the marriage of Sandrine and will now take place from 28th to 30th of April 2006.

This follows on from a return visit by SMCC to Evreux in May 2003 when the choirs sang together in the church of St Michel and at the Mass in Evreux Cathedral.

On their last visit to Wolverhampton, they gave two concerts at Worfield Church and at St Peter & St Paul RC Church, North Street, Wolverhampton, and led the singing at the Eucharist service, at St Peter's Church, Wolverhampton,

The mixed choir of 40 singers has been directed since its formation in 1992 by Sandrine Jouffrey who graduated in music at the Sorbonne and teaches in a Paris secondary school.

Evreux , an ancient Gallo - Roman centre,has a population of 55,000 and is the principal city of the Departement of l'Eure and is roughly half way between Paris and the sea, 100kms in either direction, on the Paris to Deauville road.

The city was occupied by the English during the Hundred Years War and flourished in the 15th century. It was a centre of textiles and metallurgy in the 19th. Much of Evreux was destroyed after bombings in 1940 and 1944 but benefitted after the war from economic decentralisation.

The cathedral, dating from the XIIc contains fine examples of XIVc and XVc stained glass windows

Evreux Cathedral, Normandy

There is further information about St Michael's Chamber Choir, and its Director of Music, Geoffrey Weaver, and the choir's next concert, as well as details of the wide ranging selection of music planned for future events