Small audiences at 26th Music Festival

CALLS by His Excellency President George Maxwell Richards and Joslynne Sealey, manager of the Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival for citizens to come out and support competitors seem to have fallen on deaf ears. After three days of competition, the 26th Biennial edition of the competition, which has produced some of this country’s most accomplished musicians has yet to draw anticipated crowds to the Queen’s Hall venue. President Richards during his feature address at the festival Gala on Wednesday night, encouraged festival regulars to continue giving their support, while urging others to become part of the experience.

In an interview with Newsday Sealey too urged patrons to come and witness the lovely singers and instrumentalists taking the stage. Ticket prices for the preliminary round are $5 for children and $10 for adults during the day and $ 20 for the night sessions. Thursday morning’s start of competition in Class 21- Primary Folk Song Choir drew the largest audience to date comprising parents and students of the competing schools.  Hopes that Friday and Saturday nights presentations would have bolstered patronage at the weekend programme were dashed. Twenty-four classes have taken place at Queen’s Hall thus far ranging from piano duet and solo; chamber music ensemble, trio and duet, bass Solo (voice) religious music, trombone, viola, violin, trumpet solo as well as Folk song choirs featuring both children and adults.

Saturday night’s programme gave patrons recitals from recorder soloists in Class 81, in which Alicia Sebro playing “Partita” won, followed by Class 79 - Piano Recital that saw Diamanda Garnes get the better of festival favourite, Jenise Monsegue. Following these soloists segments came Class 90d - Chamber Music Ensemble. A quintet calling itself Muzik Collage Brass got the nod from adjudicator Dr Douglas Miller for their rendition of “Canzon a Carte,” by Giovanni Gabrielli. Staying in the vein of chamber music, Class 89 was up next in which  trios were featured. An all girls group named Music Maniacs KAK won top honour for their delivery of Bach’s “Bach at the Double.”

Here are the results of Saturday night’s competitions:

Class 81 — Recorder Solo

1. Alicia Sebro 88
2. Shaunelle Ramesar 87
3. Lisha Nimblett 86
Class 79 — Piano Recital
1. Diamanda Garnes 88
2. Jenise Monsegue 87
Class 90d — Chamber Music Ensemble
1. Muzik Collage Brass 85
2. Chariot Sam Song Players 83
3. Sciamachy Inc 80
Class 89 — Chamber Music Trio
1. Music ManiacsKAK 89
2. The Entertainers 88
3. The Guitar Trio 85