Music Festival opens in south tonight

NAPARIMA BOWL, San Fernando, will take the spotlight tonight with the premier of the southern leg of the 26th Biennial Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival from 8pm. With competition already in progress at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, in the north and Tobago’s edition of the preliminary round completed, musicians of  various disciplines in the south now get their chance to display their musical wares over the next three weeks. Among the guests listed to appear at tonight instalment of the festival series sponsored by Scotia Bank, bpTT and the Ministry of Community Development and Culture are Mayor of San Fernando, Ian Artherly, Raphael Hosein, chairman of the southern festival committee and sponsors representatives. But unlike the unveiling of the festival at Queen’s Hall, which was a non-competitive affair, the programme at Naparima Bowl promises to be mixed.

Following an official welcome address from the Mayor, there will be guest artistes such as Cheryl Ryan-Baptiste and the Southernaires Choir and a piano solo by Farah Mohammed, before competition begins in Classes 48c — Bass Solo; 62 — Ladies Vocal Quartet; 66 — Family Class; and Calypso Chorale with choreography. Canadian adjudicator Professor Melvin James Hurst, who presided over competition in the sister isle, now turns his attention to the nation’s second city. But before competition at Naparima Bowl swings into action, all eyes will be on the American adjudicator Dr Douglas Miller from 9am at Queen’s Hall, to see what formula he adopts to decide a category winner.

To determine a winner in Class 80 — Piano Duet, on Friday night, where competitors had to perform the test piece “Legends No III,” by 18th century composer Antonin Dvorak Op. 59 Vol 1, Dr Miller said he had to “go over to the other side and have a chat with the composer. I had a challenge in this class, so I had to have a seance with Dvorak to find out what he wanted to hear in this piece.” His utterances caused Queen’s Hall patrons and performers alike to erupt into peals of laughter. Jenise Monsegue and Vanessa Marcus were adjudged category winners as a result of Dr Douglas’ seance.