FOR YEARS I HAVE added my voice to those of many Barbadians across the globe extolling the virtues of the Royal Barbados Police Force Band, heralding it as the best band in the world.
It is for this reason that its recent performance at the Tribute To The Prime Ministers Of Barbados disturbed me tremendously. [They] seemed to have been just going through the motions and the result was a lacklustre performance well below the standard we have associated with that iconic organisation.
To their credit, over the years there seems to have been an increased demand for their musical offerings and this [recent] performance could very well be the result of an organisation that has grown weary of well doing.
Management of the band would be well advised to critically review the recording from the ceremony. Perhaps the time has come for a sabbatical to allow them the opportunity for introspection and regeneration.
I humbly posit that it is timely to allow them to come back refreshed and ready for their performance at the signature event, which undoubtedly is being planned to mark the 50th anniversary of our country’s Independence.
The clip chronicling their development over the years did not do them any favours. It is widely accepted that tradition must be maintained. However, it brought into sharp focus what appeared to be performances that show little difference between then and now. A word to the wise is sufficient.
Not all was lost: the National Youth Orchestra, under the baton of Joy Knight-Lynch, gave a stellar performance that left us in no doubt that we are set to maintain our place on the global musical landscape. Kudos to them and continue the good work.
– ALLAN CRITCHLOW
