Support came in abundance last Saturday, as Asha Sheppard presented Smile The Concert–an event aimed at raising funds for her educational pursuits at the Herriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. The event, which started promptly at 8pm at the Bishop Anstey High School in Port-of-Spain, drew a sizeable crowd of eager patrons.
Sheppard Scotland senf-off
Sheppard, a 20-year-old alumna of Bishop Anstey, explained in an interview that's she has received a full scholarship from the Ministry of Public Administration and will be heading to Scotland, where she'll study Urban and Regional Planning at Herriot Watt, a university that boasts an international reputation for innovative education. However, she said even with the full "schol" in hand, a number of incidental costs remained unaccounted for. With this in mind, she cast a group of her friends and some of their friends in a concert that was relished among those who attended.
A two-hour long presentation of steelpan and song, spoken-word poetry and even a humourous piece by Asha herself, drew applause. The Trinity All Generation School of Music and the Arts (TAGS), was well represented by both their junior and senior steel orchestras, who passionately performed Visit the Moon and Conga, among other popular songs. Steelpan crackshot Mia Gormandy also impressed with her rendition of Flight of the Bumble Bee, while the Bishop's choir, beautifully costumed, belted out traditional songs that left the older audience members wanting more.
A Muwakil Moment
Sheppard doubled as poet and steelpan player with the senior TAGS group during the course of the evening, earning herself loud applause when she highlighted the importance of looking before you sit, in a poem entitled, The Porcupine. However, it was poet Muhammad Muwakil who stole the show with his dialect driven Category Five. Dodging the smiles and sudden outbursts of laughter among the women of the audience, Muwakil went through the feelings that men experience when they encounter a woman they truly adore.
At one point, he was forced to stop, begging the crowd, "don't laugh please, let me finish this." The music, the words and the outpouring of support lent to the evening's momentum, by the end guaranteeing the ambitious young woman, who'll take flight on September 3, the financial resources to ensure that her goals are achieved. Her quest for success has afforded her the scholarship she needs; now there's no telling where her pursuits will lead.
