THE Jamaica Youth Chorale and The University Singers are looking to raise $2 million to kickstart renovations on the University Chapel in St Andrew.

“The University Chapel is a heritage site and we don’t want it to fall into [disrepair]. It is a highly sought after venue for weddings, funerals, concerts…everybody who wants to put on a classical show uses that venue simply because of the high roof and the most amazing acoustic [effect]; the sound carries well in that space. In the absence of concert halls, perhaps the closest thing we come to perfection in terms of acoustic and concert space is the Ward Theatre. but that’s been closed for donkey years for renovations and there’s no urgency towards that type of thing,” Franklin Halliburton, musical director of The University Singers, told the Jamaica Observer.

The event, dubbed Let There Be Music, will be held this afternoon at the chapel starting at 5:00 pm.

A part of the renovation efforts will be to focused on fixing the organ. According to Halliburton, that will run about US$70,000.

“Renovating the space is of great significance, and the money that we are raising is really just a drop in the bucket — but it’s a start. We want to restore the chapel to its former glory. The organ at the chapel is also in dire need of repair,” he said.

The building of the University Chapel began in April 1956. The cornerstone was laid on June 5, 1956 by then Governor of Jamaica Sir Hugh MacIntosh Foot (later Lord Caradon), and the first service was held on the last Sunday of Trinity Term 1959 on June 21 of that year. The chapel was dedicated on February 14, 1960, during the Service of Commemoration marking the installation of Princess Alice as chancellor.

The idea to stage this concert was the brainchild of founder and musical director of the Jamaica Youth Chorale, Gregory Simms. He said following a recent performance at the University Chapel he could not help but notice how the historic, cut-stone building was in need of maintenance.

“I noticed how stressed she looked. Walls pale and cracking; high altar distressed; piano sounding tired. That’s when the idea came to me… do a fund-raiser,” he related in a previous interview with the Observer.

“The chapel is an important space for choral performance in Jamaica; [it is] one of the few venues with good natural acoustics. We don’t have a concert hall in Kingston but we have the chapel. She must survive. Like so many other venues income was impacted by the pandemic, but now is the time to get going again,” Simms declared.

Halliburton says both groups have kept busy with rehearsals and today’s showcase will be one for the books.

“What we want is for the audience to experience the highest quality and level of chorale excellence. We’re just trying to focus on delivering,” he said.