Students shine at NGC Sanfest command performance

The top performers of the National Gas Company’s (NGC) recently concluded Sanfest competition treated the City of San Fernando to an evening of entertainment at the Creative Arts Centre on Saturday.

Sanfest is endorsed by the Ministry of Education and is open to primary and secondary school students to compete in the visual, literary and performing arts. The 2019 edition ended on November 17.

The evening began with an invocation by Gianna Griffith of the San Fernando Central Secondary School, Rocco Nichols of Guaico Presbyterian Primary School and the Providence Girls’ Catholic School’s religious choir. Griffith sang a medley of gospel songs, while Nichols treated the audience with the sound of steelpan.

The choir sang their rendition of Celine Dion’s Let This Be Our Prayer. Taylor Marie Lee of Cedar Grove Primary School, who was also the winner of the 2019 Young Stars Pre-Teen Talent, wowed the audience as she performed Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria.

The evening also featured chorale speaking by St Gabriel’s RC School and dances from the Morvant Laventille Secondary School.

The arts centre later came alive with the Sound of Music – a classic tune from the popular 1965 musical, which was performed by Arisa Rajan of the San Fernando TML Primary School. She even wore a blue and white outfit tailored very similarly to Julie Andrews’ character Maria from the original musical.

Other performances included piano medleys, monologues and tassa drumming. The audience consisted of parents, fellow students and fans of the performing arts.

Rita Antoine, representative of the ministry, trustee of the San Fernando Art Council's executive board Joey Harrynan and convenor of San Fernando Carnival, Naigum Joseph, were in attendance.