Bombarded by a torrent of toxic and negative news in media about the current state and future of our nation, we citizens need to take some time out, take a deep breath and recognise and applaud the positives so many of our nation’s youth have been achieving.
Young nationals continue to achieve great things on the global stage; achievements which go unnoticed by most and in which we must be very proud and applaud.
The young musicians of Exocubs Steel Orchestra (youth arm of Republic Bank Exodus) recently returned home after winning standing ovations and critical acclaim for their performances in Argentina.
Their counterparts of Valley Harps Steel Orchestra of Petit Valley are currently winding down a concert tour of France.
The St Margaret’s Youth Steel Orchestra also continues to fly the cultural flag of T&T very high as they show us and the world the great invention that is the steelpan. They will be staging their Ninth Annual Youth Steelband Extravaganza tomorrow at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, starting at 2 pm.
The orchestra’s Musical/Events co-ordinator, Rosemarie Abraham, said this week: “In our continued quest to develop our youths holistically through the medium of the steelpan, we of the St Margaret’s Youth Steel Orchestra have embarked on a pan programme which has been quite successful.
“In addition to our orchestra, which recently performed successfully at Carnegie Hall and Universal Studios, Orlando, there will also be performances by BP Renegades Youth Steel Orchestra (non-school National Panorama champion); Success Stars Pan Sounds; MHTL Starlift Juniors and Massy Trinidad All Stars Youth Steel Orchestra.”
Starlift and Trinidad All Stars Youth Steel Orchestras are the two newcomers in the line-up this year.
Fresh from a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan in June 2015 and from tremendous success at the Orlando Spring Music Festival at Universal Studios in April 2016, these talented young musicians will again showcase their pan wizardry at the Extravaganza.
The St Margaret’s Youth Steelband Extravaganza offers youth steel orchestras who do well in the National Junior Panorama competition the opportunity to perform at a standard of excellence in a non-competitive atmosphere.
This helps to foster camaraderie among the players of the various steelbands, a camaraderie which it’s hoped will continue to exist even when they are adult players in competing steel orchestras.
Performing will be the various age-group ensembles of the St Margaret’s Boys AC Primary School. The school has a very dynamic steelpan programme which was started in 2002 by Abraham and which continues today with strong support from the principal Collette Perez.
The school placed second in the Primary School Category of the National Junior Panorama 2016 and emerged winners in the Elementary Schools category at the Orlando Spring Music Festival.
These skilled young musicians do not just play the steelpan, they deliver a wide repertoire of music and exciting, exhilarating performances full of appropriate, dynamic and well-rehearsed choreography.
By attending the Extravaganza, not only will you enjoy mesmerising music by these young, talented steelpan players, you will also be supporting this fund-raiser to assist St Margaret’s Youth Steel Orchestra to accept their invitations to Los Angeles, USA and Calgary, Canada in 2017.
Not to be outdone, the young women of Bishop Anstey High School again achieved excellence when the school’s choir and steelband were again victorious in the just concluded Llangollen Music Festival in Wales, open to school choirs and orchestras from across the globe.