Trinidad and Tobago Youth Philharmonic to celebrate Christ, calypso and classics

Submitted by Kara Martin for the TT Youth Philharmonic

If you want to talk about the future of TT’s youth instrumentalists, somewhere in the conversation the name Kenneth Listhrop will undoubtedly come up, as few people have been more actively passionate about creating opportunities for young, burgeoning musical talent and seeing it thrive in this country.

In fact, taking the stage this weekend for a multi-genre, two-show affair at NAPA, will be little ones as young as five, as the Trinidad & Tobago Youth Philharmonic (TTYP) proudly presents the culmination of its annual summer intensive programme.

For the first time ever, TTYP have put together two completely different, back-to-back shows, and they’ve prepared for this in just three weeks. What’s more, none of its members performing at NAPA this weekend is over the age of 30, and they have all come up under the tutelage of TTYP’s music director Listhrop.

Of the pair of concerts, Listhrop said patrons can expect “the three C’s: Christ, calypso and classics”, which was also the theme for the summer camp this season, a camp that’s been running since 2006.

“This is something new we’re trying,” said Listhrop, when we caught up with him in between rigorous rehearsals last week. “We’re catering for everybody. For the first time in Trinidad – and I hope it will be an annual event – we’re having something called Then Sings My Soul (on Saturday August 5). It’s a totally religious worship experience with the orchestra, the Euangelion Singers and their band performing the great hymns of the Christian church. Live orchestra, live choir, contemporary and traditional, great, massive, majestic Christian hymns. I’m sure it’s the first time in the country that something like this is taking place. And so we are inviting all Christians from all denominations, no matter what your persuasion is – to just come and worship.”

Sunday’s show Fanfare and Tribute to Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) will offer pure classical music alongside a smaller-than-planned homage to the legendary calypsonian and his musical legacy, whose impactful calypsoes have been artfully rearranged for a live orchestra by Trinidad-born, UK-based pianist and composer Kerry Brent Henry.

Listeners can expect an innovative take on what are some of the world’s finest calypsoes from a legendary lyricist and showman. “It’s a poly-stylistic effort, but certainly jazz-infused, modern, and with a variety of influences,” said Henry, who worked assiduously on the selection from January to May this year while stationed in England, communicating and sharing back and forth with Listhrop on the ground.

The initial intention was to do a full-blown, purely Black Stalin tribute, but setbacks and challenges regarding copyright approval for his songs have brought about a decision to revisit this on a larger scale closer to Carnival 2024.

“This is something we don’t want to rush,” he said. “Black Stalin’s music is for everybody. We believe a tribute like this should be for the whole nation and on a massive scale, so we want to take our time with this because the arrangements that Brent has done for this have so much potential. Brent really has tremendous ability and the arrangements are really high-energy with really great ideas, exciting counter-melodies, jazz harmonies and more throughout.

“So, for this Sunday coming we’ve decided to do a mini-tribute, at least featuring Caribbean Man, Wait Dorothy Wait, etc. It will be the first time we’ll have a live symphony orchestra playing calypso in Trinidad and Tobago.”

For the classical portion of Sunday evening’s event, the repertoire was specifically chosen for their celebratory nature – familiar classics such as Pomp and Circumstance and Epic March by John Ireland, as well as George Bizet’s March of the Toreadors from Carmen, to name a few. They’re even throwing in the Olympic fanfare and theme composed by Star Wars-famed composer John Williams. “It’s going to be massive,” Listhrop emoted.

Classical music is something these youths know well, but modern calypso-jazz rhythms are not as familiar to their ears, and yet Listhrop says they are thriving and “sounding real good. They’re having a ball (navigating it). It’s a new experience for them.”

They have also been working painstakingly hard – 9 am-4 pm Monday to Friday, plus Saturday nights from 6-9 pm, over the three-week period – and without the additional guidance of Venezuelan tutors who, before the covid19 pandemic and ensuing financial struggles, had always been recruited to assist at these camps.

“We’re still suffering from the effects of the pandemic, not just financially, but because we also lost a lot of students to three years of inactivity. It made a big difference…but thankfully we have some youngsters who have stayed with us that are rising to the occasion (in assisting with this camp),” said Listhrop.

Despite all that, TTYP is the Caribbean’s largest youth symphony orchestra with some 150+ members. As its youngsters move up the ranks and transition to other musical and non-musical pursuits as young adults, Listhrop is regularly looking to recruit more future stars; stars he hopes will furnish this country’s own dedicated music academy, which he has his sights on building on land TTYP was able to acquire for this very purpose. Call it Listhrop’s legacy.

“We are looking at a mini concert hall, practice rooms, teaching rooms, rehearsal rooms, a library, accommodation for visiting conductors so we don’t have to spend money putting them up at hotels etc.; It will save us a whole lot of money, having everything in one place.”

Proceeds from this weekend’s concerts will go towards fully securing the land for this project.

“This is a vision beyond myself,” he added. “We want to leave a permanent home in Trinidad & Tobago that can eventually extend beyond our shores. It’s a vision for true national development.

“We are right next to Venezuela, and they are running one of the best music programmes in the world, on top of which they have world-class conductors…right there next door! Venezuela is reforming and taking people away from drugs and crime through music, which is a model that countries all over the world are now adopting. We have the potential for that too, and that’s why we stay in close contact with our Venezuelan friends. We need to take advantage of this proximity and build on that. It will take some years, but the foundation is there to build on.

He concluded: “We need people to come out and show their support for true national development. We have been doing this for 23 years now, so you know that we are serious.”

Tickets for both concerts are priced at $200 ($150 for children under 12)

August 5: Then Sings My Soul, NAPA, 5.30 pm

August 6: Fanfare & Tribute to Black Stalin, NAPA, 5.30 pm

For ticket outlets and further info call: 476-TTYP (8897), e-mail info@ttyp.com or www.ttyp.org