Lydians record another impressive showing

MEMBERS of the Lydian Singers, on Thursday night, had good reason to pat themselves of the back, following another impressive showing at the 26th Biennial Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s. Of the six classes contested on the night, representatives of the Lydian Singers top scored in three. Garnet Allen, appearing in Class 48 - Baritone Solo, captured the first championship placing of the night for the choir, with his rendition of the test piece (Les Berceaux) “The Cradles,” by Faure. In that class, he went up against another Lydian, Dirk Govia, who placed second. Govia on Tuesday night won Class 52b - Oratorio - Gent’s Voice.

Being the lone competitor in Class 67 - Ladies Choir, did not take away the Lydian Ladies Choir’s passion to perform. Under the direction of Pat Bishop, the female singers, sung to the delight of adjudicator Dr Douglas Miller, to earn a first place certificate into the championship phase of the festival. Then came the quartet in Class 61 - Male Vocal Quartet, doing the test piece “Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes.” Of the five quartets listed, only the Lydian Quartet “A” performed and again Dr Miller found the performance deserving of being heard again. Following Wednesday night’s marathon session, which featured performances such as the Broadway Musical Songs class and parang, patrons were treated to a more compact programme on Thursday night, which lasted two hours and ten minutes.

Mezzo Soprano Solos in Class 47b heralded another night of musical festival competition, where familiar faces such as Rhona Mohon, Patrice Quammie and Kendra Sylvester sung the test piece “Deep River,” arranged by William Armstrong. Quammie was victorious in that class. The men of Diamond Chorale were described as fine singers with a fine conductor (Enrique Ali) by Dr Miller, following their renditions of “Deep River” by John Leavitt and “God Who Made Every Living Creature,” arranged by B Trinkley. These songs were also test pieces. Natalia Dopwell and Vanessa Bushe won Class 64 - Operatic Duet. This class, however, was originally advertised to take place on Wednesday night, but had to be cancelled when none of the three entrants turned up. The interest shown by the duet in this class, saw the music festival committee grant them permission to perform, to their credit, having advanced to the next round. Their tune-of-choice was “A Presentation of the Rose” - Duet, from the opera Der Rosen Kavalier. Lone instrumentalist Keba Williams wowed patrons with her interpretation of “Concertino,” by Carl Marie Von Weber in Class 82b - Clarinet Solo.