THE SCHOOLS’ CHOIR COMPETITION has been expanded and rebranded by the Ministry of Education and is now being called The Schools’ Music Festival.
It will, however, continue to be a biennial schools musical development activity.
Conceptualised by Acting Senior Education Officer with responsibility for Curriculum Fernando Carter, the festival is considered a worthy successor to the former event, which was last held in 2013.
Carter said “the goal of developing musical talent in all forms in our nation’s students” was at the forefront of the creation of this new event.
The finals are scheduled for Sunday, March 15, at the Gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, Wildey, St Michael, at 3 p.m.
The festival is open to all students from public and private primary and secondary schools, and the five main categories of competition are: Singing (Chorale and/or Soloist); Ensemble; Small Orchestra; Pop Band; and Individual Instrumentalist.
Explaining that so far 38 schools had entered the competition, Carter said 14 of these were from the secondary level. And, he noted that private and public primary and secondary schools had entered in all categories of the festival.
The preliminary judging period will run from Thursday, January 29, until Thursday, February 5.
The judging locations are the Prince Cave Hall, District “A” Police Station, on Thursday, Christ Church Foundation School Hall, on Friday; the Hugh Springer Auditorium, Barbados Workers’ Union, Solidarity House, Harmony Hall, St Michel, on Tuesday, February 3; and Alleyne School Hall, Belleplaine, St Andrew, on Thursday, February 5.
“Following the preliminaries, professionals, musicians and image creators will work with the finalists to fine-tune and develop our budding musicians for the finals,” Carter added.
This Professional Development Workshop is scheduled for Thursday, February 26, at Prince Cave Hall, to hone the technical skills and improve the performances of the finalists.
Carter also noted that the ministry was currently working with the charitable organisation Partners That Care International to successfully plan the event.
Additionally, he said that the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation was on board to promote it and would be interviewing the musical director and some students from the competing schools.
“This collaboration will involve a more ‘made for television’ finals that will follow entrants and schools through the preliminaries to the finals,” Carter said.
Box offices are located at C.S. Pharmacy (Bridgetown) and A & B Music Supplies Ltd. (Wildey and Sheraton Centre). Tickets are also expected to be available at participating schools.
Parents or guardians seeking further information may contact Carter at 430-2829, or may email him at fcarter@mes.gov.bb. They may also contact Orlinder Bowen-Clarke at 430-2828. (JG/BGIS)
