Arima centre supports musical Venezuelans

The Hispanic Cultural Centre in Arima continues to promote the education and training of Latino children. Currently 35 boys and girls take music classes and a singing group of Christmas Parrandas is already being organised.

Music is an important tradition for them, especially Venezuelans, for whom singing and playing various musical instruments are part of their daily lives.

“We started with the vacation plan for Venezuelan children, 35 in total, who received singing lessons, drum clinics and the traditional Venezuelan cuatro,” said Andreína Briceño, director and founder of the centre. She said the idea of promoting a fixed course from singing to teaching various instruments came from there. “We have a Trinidadian guitar teacher on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4pm. On Saturday mornings (there are) vocal technique classes and other instruments”.

She stressed that parents pay only to cover operating expenses.

“The objective is for our children to learn not only the English language, but also to activate their musical skills, remembering that Venezuela is traditionally a land with an extraordinary musical culture.”

For Briceño and her team, preparation is essential, which is why the children who attend the classes combine the names of the teams and the songs in English and Spanish.

OTHER PROGRAMMES

Venezuelan Christmas is full of culture and traditions, but above all music. That’s why the Arima Hispanic Cultural Centre began organising the creation of two groups of Christmas Parrandas songs.

“We are already working on parrandas. We are going to do auditions for children and adults: we want to have two groups,” Briceño said. These parrandas are groups that carry the traditional songs of Venezuelan Christmas to different places where it is celebrated with enthusiasm.

“We will have bonuses and all kinds of music that makes our Christmas happy.”

She said several organisations in various parts of TT had “already called us to take the music in this little season of the year.”

The shortage of instruments does not dampen the performers’ spirits, she said.

“Venezuelans are warriors and although we lack materials, we are working.”

She invited anyone with a talent for singing or playing an instrument to come and audition. Vicky Rojas is the music teacher at the centre, and has been dedicated to the project since last July. She was a singer in Venezuela and has a music magazine in the Ali Primera park in western Caracas, now taken care of by other people.

“It is very nice to see how children arrive in lively, organised classes, and especially with the support of their parents, who want their children to acquire knowledge beyond language,” she commented.

La Casita of Hispanic Cultural Centre is on Pro Queen Street, Arima, near the market and continues to be visited by Venezuelans who want to take part in cultural events.