Priceless music of the Caribbean

THE EDITOR: Thanks to Monday's BC Pires column, I learned of the Music of the Caribbean concert to be livestreamed Monday night from the Virginia Tech (US) platform. And what a remarkably fine treat it was!

Beautiful music of the Caribbean indeed! The freshly commissioned world premiere of Sonata No. 1 for Clarinet and Piano (2021) in five movements, composed during the lockdown by Prof Roger J Henry, artistic director and conductor of Trinidad and Tobago’s National Philharmonic Orchestra, was deftly and feelingly executed by clarinetist Yevgeny Dolshanksy and pianist Hsiang Tu. The two artistes were then joined by John Irrera on violin in Trio No. 2 for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (2019), also composed by Dr Henry.

What wonderful artistry and sensitivity in the delivery on the programme's promise of an exploration of TT's rhythms, accents and colours! The last piece evoked not just that special Panorama feeling but also the general Trini joie de vivre.

From the online programme, I learned that the source of sponsorship for the commissioning of Henry’s new work had been a Departmental Diversity Grant from Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Oh, for the development in TT of a culture of sponsorship of such fine and uplifting work. Maybe the concert will be shown soon on TTT?

CORAL BRATHWAITE

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