Pupils get lessons in delivery from Music Festival judge

TT Music Festival adjudicator Nadine Gonzales gave pupils impromptu lessons in how their bodily posture and mouth shape would affect their vocal delivery, at the Wednesday afternoon session of the competition at Queen's Hall, St Ann's. She did this as she delivered results for the five classes of vocals heard in that session.

For best primary school choir, Maria Regina Grade School edged Moulton Hall All Methodist Choir, with Dunross School third and St David's RC Primary fourth, with the test piece, The Chimpanzee. The 30-strong Maria Regina choir gave a massed, disciplined and polished delivery, while the older, approximately 20 pupils of Moulton Hall gave a strong and clear diction, seemingly with a more mature and more knowing interpretation than any of their rivals. Gonzales listed the criteria that constituted the proficiency and interpretation for judging the choirs.

"Be proud of yourselves. Celebrate that you were able to be here today," she advised, in line with the event's non-competitive focus.

The boys solo vocals age 7-10 were topped by Nikel Sansand, ahead of Andre Ramasar and Ethan Francis respectively.

Gonzales, in delivering results, advised, "Your diction depends on how you shape your mouth."

She said the use of each of the tongue, teeth and lips determined the quality of sound made.

Saying some pupils did not properly enunciate the consonants at the start and end of words, she said correct pronunciation would help pupils delivery.

Gonzales said this group of boys had a good balance between their physical and vocal expressiveness.

"Everyone who came here today won. You won on (gaining) experience."

The boys vocal solos 13-15 were won by Che De Leon, ahead of Tyler Ross and Jamai Williams respectively.

She had one boy on stage repeatedly sing over his lines – "I wish I were a drummer/to beat the kettle drum" – and each time she adjusted his posture to show that his stance affected the sounds he sung.

She herself sang the lines.

Gonzales then made another pupil support his cheeks with his hands, to again see the effect on the sounds coming from his mouth.

She said thee boys had tremendous potential.

The girls vocal duet 13-15 was won by Cydnee Cooper and Deneisha Dempster, edging Nasya Henry and Suri Rajkumar plus Marley Persad and Xaiya Garcia Morris respectively.

Gonzales advised that all had lovely voices individually, but coming together in duets some may have had difficulties in hearing their own tonal centres.

She advised that any individual weaknesses should be remedied before coming together into duets.

The boys vocal solos 16-19 were topped by Liam Gooding, ahead of Gabriel Marin, Rolando Nurse respectively and an unplaced Lamar Alleyne.

Gonzales hailed music teacher Kwasi Noel who had taught the top three pupils. She said contenders had scored very highly.

Gonzales hailed Marin's "fabulous voice", said Gooding's "dynamics and expression" had truly come together, and praised Alleyne as full of "promise and potential."