On the evening of September 25, there occurred a singular event. For the first time in its 50-year history, Queen's Hall hosted a cultural event produced entirely by?the community in which it
resides. Organised by the St Ann's-Cascade-Hololo Community Group (STACH), the musical, dancing, singing and drumming talent of residents of the area–professionals and amateurs–delighted an almost capacity crowd.
STACH was formed in 2006, when residents of the area united in a bid to protect President's Grounds for the community. After the relative success of that occasion, the organisation has continued to support various residential groups and projects. The organising committee for the concert included Derek Johnson, Maritza HeeHoung, Diane Dumas, Velma Jardine, Kelwyn Hutcheon, Douglas Walker, David Benjamin, Michele Monteil and David Serrao.
Let the show begin
The concert was attended by ex President and Prime Minister Arthur NR Robinson and his family and, after a moment of silence in honour of his wife, the late Patricia Robinson, the concert began. The show was superbly opened by the Trinity All Generation Students of the Arts steelband, whose musical director, Akua Leith,?is from the Casablanca Community in Cascade. They were followed by guitarist Michael Boothman, followed by?drumming accompanying a poem by Akilah Jaramogi, founder of the Fondes Amandes Community Re-Forestation Project, which is re-planting the hills above Port-of-Spain.?
Patricia Morris then sang I Know My Redeemer Lives, followed by two dazzling hip-hop dance routines, one by the Chandlers Urban Dance Group from Hutton Road, the second by a group of pre-teens from Elle Inc.?Nine-year-old pannist Luke Walker then played?Panis Angelicus, followed by a short energetic modern dance with balletic overtones by the Cascade Festival Ballet. Anne Fridal, soprano, sang Kitchener's calypso, Symphony in G, slowing down the rhythm, but retaining the words,?altogether gloriously rendered.?She was accompanied on the piano by Charles Brunner, who holds the Guinness World Record for the Longest Playing Piano Marathon (four days, five hours, seven minutes)
Pieces of Sky
After the intermission, the concert continued with soprano Renee Solomon, who sang Piece of Sky with intensity, passion and meaning. The smooth and ageless Kelwyn Hutcheon followed in stupendous form, as he powered his way through a couple of Sinatra favourites, including Summer Wind. The enchanting Love Movement chorus did a?moving rendition?of Orphans of God, followed by the Fondes Amandes Drummers and then Hasely Stephen, the Midnight Robber, appeared from the back of the audience?to offer?a traditional robber talk in which the PM was given top billing. ?
Matthew Ragbir sang Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, accompanied by the graceful ballerinas of La Danse Caraibe, and baritone Maurice Brash sang his perennial favorite, On the Street Where You Live. Eight-year-old Chloe Pollonais then brought the house down singing Tomorrow, followed by Diane Williams with a heart rending version?of At Last, done in Celine Dion style.?The last act was another hip-hop dance group, Eclectik, comprising members Hamid Rahaman, Rene Arneaud and Andre Arneaud, who have placed in the top three for the last five years in the finals of the World Hip-Hop championships in LA and Las Vegas.?
The grand finale
The grand Finale consisted of audience and cast joining to sing Good Morning Neighbour, a reference to the community spirit that reigns in the St Ann's-Cascade-Hololo Valley.