Eastern youths win award

ALTHOUGH the Eastern Youth Chorale is only eight months old, the choir performed impressively at the recent Music Festival held at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.

The Arima-based Eastern Youth Chorale won the Under-20 Mixed Vocal Category and came third in the Mixed Vocal Quartet.

The choir’s 20-year-old youth director John Thomas and members are proud of their achievements.

“We also entered the Pan Solo Category with 16-year-old Krystal Borris and she won it,” Thomas said. Borris also placed second in the festival’s Pan Open division.

“Overall, we did quite well in the National Music Festival and our hometown is quite proud of us,” he stated.

“The choir’s mission is to get the young people, especially those living in the east, to become involved in the choir because the east has a lot of untapped talent,” Thomas said.

“We also want to let the public know about the choir’s success which, hopefully, would encourage young people to join us.”

The Eastern Youth Chorale is made up of 40 young people ranging in ages from 12 to 27.

“While some of our members are artistes and pannists, all of the members can sing,” Thomas said.

It was through the encouragement of his family, friends and Arima residents that he started the Eastern Youth Chorale. Mayor Eustace Nancis also gave him a lot of encouragement by endorsing Thomas’ project.

According to Thomas, there are no other choir groups for Arima’s young people other than church groups which do not cater for people of other religions.

“Hence, the establishment of the Eastern Youth Chorale which now provides that place for youngsters to come and sing.”

Thomas said the choir is open to anyone for its membership and believes that everyone can sing, particularly youngsters.

“Young people can express themselves positively through their artistic abilities within the choir,” he said.

The choir practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Arima Girls’ RC School. The chorale is also the youth arm of the Eastern Musicale run by Rita Portillo.

The musical training that the younger members of the Eastern Youth Chorale have been exposed to, has helped to improve their academic performances, according to Thomas.

“I was told by the teachers of the younger choir members that they have improved dramatically in their school work for they’ve become more self-confident in class as a result of their stage exposure,” Thomas said.

“The concert is meant to highlight the talents of our chorale, the Lydians and other performers such as the Mucurapo Girls’ RC School,” he said.

With more young people indicating an interest in joining the chorale, the future seems bright for the eastern choir.