Bigger plans in store for music awards

Music, culture and the arts will get a boost next year as several plans are in the pipeline to develop the sector.{{more}}

Minister of Culture René Baptiste disclosed some of the plans at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Music Association Award Ceremony.

Speaking at the event which took place on Thursday, October 29, 2009, Baptiste said that she has received offers from the Governments of Cuba and Brazil to teach music programmes here.

The Ambassador in Cuba, Baptiste said, has offered to send someone with vincentian roots to come to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to teach students how to play the violin, cello and the viola. Baptiste further explained that the Government of Brazil, by way of a cultural corporate agreement, offered to send teachers to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to have cultural exchanges in fine arts, music, dance and museum management.

She added that the Governments of Russia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have signed an agreement in which Russia will soon set up a centre of the arts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where they will offer courses in music and art. All of these plans, she said, will come to fruition by next year.

The ceremony was held to award the students from the Royal School of Music who were successful in the 2008 and 2009 Music Examinations, both Theory and Practical.

Four students also received special awards for the best performances in Theory and Practical. Athalia Frederick took the award for the Best in Theory in the Grade One to Four category. Caran Gordon and David Browne received awards for the Best in Practical in the Grade One to Four category, while Lucanus Ollivierre was awarded in the Grade Five to Eight category.

Parents, teachers and music lovers converged at the hall and were serenaded by the voices of the guest singers of the St. Joseph’s Convent Kingstown. Students of the music school also showcased their many talents, performing renditions on piano, clarinet and violin.

Baptiste said she was heartened by the number of students who got awards at the ceremony, but she, however, noted that more must be done to ensure that students go on to Grades Four and Five in music. Most of the students who were awarded at the ceremony received passes up to Grade Four.