Choirs on show at festival

AS competition in the 33rd Music Festival continued at Queen’s Hall St Ann’s last Thursday evening, the programme did not run as smoothly as it should.

The evening session started with Class Op A10 Operatic Aria-Ladies and every one in the audience with a programme was scrambling to find it.

Three competitors Siobhan Lawrence, Renee Lawrence and Jadelle Baird performed to an appreciative but confused audience. It was not until adjudicator Dr Richard Tang Yuk took the stage things made some sense. “You are a bit confused? Let me put your mind to rest. These three ladies sang in that class tonight as they will not be able to perform tomorrow evening because of their religion.”

There was a collective sigh of relief from the audience and the evening’s programme started with OP C3- Open Choirs Own Choice.

First up was competitor number two and The Diamond Chorale came on stage and stood for a while before leaving without performing. Tang Yuk apologised and told the audience the music could not be found. Competitor number four, University Singers was announced and the accompanist took her position on stage behind the piano but the singers were nowhere to be found. After a while, there was a slow handclap from the audience. The singers eventually came on stage to perform.

The class continued with The University Chorale, The Lydians, The Lydian Men’s Chorus, APA Chorale, Eh Bien Oui Don Don, competitor number three, The Diamond Chorale/Holy Name Convent Alumni Combined Choirs and competitor number two, this time around they were well prepared.

In his remarks, Tang Yuk said he just love choirs. “Its a lot of fun but it is difficult to judge when you have so many different groups doing so many different pieces.” He then asked Lydians to come back on stage to give all in the audience including the other choirs a mini class on choirs. He showed them the difference in placing the singer and in tuning.

Tang Yuk repeated how difficult it was for him to come up with the results and gave out some very high marks.

APA Chorale topped the class with 95 while Eh Bien Oui Don Don placed second with 94 and University Chorale third with 92 marks. The judge said the only reason APA won was because of the difficult piece they chose over the second place which he felt was an excellent choir.

Strangely, Tank Yuk shook hands with the winners something he said he was not going to do because of the covid19 virus.

Mekelia Muller sat in shock in the front row when she was announced the winner in Class OP-A12 Musical Theatre Solo-Ladies. She had to be helped on stage by her supporters to receive her certificate.

Tang Yuk simply asked her, “You shock you won?” And she replied, “Yes, this is very new to me. This is the first time I tried something like this.”

Muller won for her riveting performance of Love You I Do. She was the penultimate performer in the class which saw 13 performers produce a very dramatic and exciting event as the audience enjoyed every piece delivered.

Tang Yuk told the competitors, “You have so many great singers, you all sang well and it is getting harder and harder to judge.”

In the end Misty Ann Knights came in second for her performance of Falling in Love with Love and Renee Lawrence third with her rendition of Art is calling for Me.