Under the music direction of Akua Leith, the School of the Arts Trinity All Generations placed first in Class 6—Steel Pan Chamber Ensemble (4-9 Players). Photo: Sean Nero

Scintillating pan music performances at Wednesday’s installment of competition at the 29th Biennial T&T Music Festival at Queen’s Hall in St Ann’s, Port-of-Spain, has inspired adjudicator Dr John Paul Johnson to declare to citizens of T&T, “You are some of the luckiest people I know.” He had just heard performances from five contestants in Class 6—Steel Pan Chamber Ensemble for pannists not less than four, but no more than nine, delivering masterful works from legendary composers such as Georges Bizet, Claude Debussy, Francesco Geminani, Jacques Offenbach and Bertha Egnos.

All Saints Pan Ensemble, Exocubs, Georgian Steel, Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra and School of the Arts Trinity All Generations were the contestants that wowed Dr Johnson at the evening’s playbill. “I am seldom speechless,” Dr Johnson told patrons, to lusty applause.
“Each of these five groups displayed musicianship like I wish I could see on a daily basis in the United States. “This is incredible music. Think about it. You have heard music by some of the most masterful composers tonight, all played expressively, all played beautifully by these wonderful orchestras, by a type of instrument that you can proudly say is native to you. “We can say that we have Britney Spears. Not that that’s anything to be proud of.”

He lamented the number of people in the United States who were ignorant to the power and beauty of the steelpan—the national musical instrument of T&T. Johnson said Hollywood had to take most of the blame for this since the only regular access Americans have to the steelpan “has to do with movies and ‘stupid’ people in the movies who happen to travel to the Caribbean and get in trouble and the soundtrack (for the movie) happens to have a steel orchestra.” He praised All Saints Pan Ensemble’s ability to give that much colour to its tune-of-choice Claire de Lune composed by De Bussy, while Exocubs earned props for bringing flair, panache and brashness to its rendering of Ipi Ntombi composed by Egnos.

He said the accuracy of musical colour, precision and nuances heard in the presentations of Georgian Steel and Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra, did not go unnoticed. However, School of the Arts Trinity All Generations under the music direction of Akua Leith, won Johnson’s heart with its pristine delivery of Offenbach’s Can, Can, and amassed the top score of 97 points. The evening’s programme opened with Class 1b—Mezzo Soprano Solo featuring six unique voices all desirous of offering the best version of the test piece titled Queen Mary’s Song composed by Elgar. Lizann Anderson, Marielle Cooper-Leach, Caryl Neehall, Althea Oliver, Joanna Ross and Germaine Wilson were the divas of song who took patrons on a musical roller-coaster with adaptations of the music item.

For reasons known only to him, this category reminded Johnson of shopping for shoes. “There were six completely distinct voices doing a song that did not fit any of the voices. The high parts that called for a lighter approach and the dramatic passages needed that drama. “The challenge was seeing if they can make this song hopeless and mournful and do it well.” Marielle Cooper-Leach achieved that in her presentation to earn a top score of 96.

David Williams took home tops honours in Class 2a—Tenor Solo (Finals). Christian Joel and Arnold Phillips were his challengers.
Contestants in this category were also required to deliver the test piece, Fair House of Joy, from the music bible for Roger Quilter.
But according to the music adjudicator, this category was a lot tougher than the audience had realised. Johnson described tenor literature as “demanding, cruel and sadistic,” and credited the skills of local voices for executing it so well.

Results

Class 1b—Mezzo-Soprano Solo
1. Marielle Cooper-Leach, 96
2. Germaine Wilson, 89
3. Caryl Neehall, 86

Class 6—Steel Pan Chamber Ensemble (4-9 players)
1. School of the Arts Trinity All Generations, 97
2. Exocubs, 93
2. Georgian Steel, 93
3. All Saints Pan Ensemble, 83

Class 2a—Tenor Solo (Finals)
1. David Williams, 93
2. Christian Joel, 87
3. Arnold Phillips, 86