2064: A Musical Odyssey – Signal Hill choir considers 40 more years of ‘music that moves’

As Signal Hill Alumni Choir (SHAC) marks its 40th year in 2024, this august group of seasoned performers are showing little signs of ageing or any suggestions of mid-life slowing down. Rather, SHAC is focused on the future and the next 40 years of contributions to arts and culture, while celebrating its accomplishments.

Between now and November, the choir is extending an invitation to performers, supporters, and audiences to embark on its commemorative journey: 2064: A Musical Odyssey. This future-focused theme looks towards the boundless possibilities in music, transcending time, and imagination.

The theme prompts reflection on the evolving landscape of musical innovation, as creators worldwide engage in a match of wits, blending the creative genius of the human mind with the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).

John Arnold, creative director, and foundation member of SHAC, says that this theme speaks to a “higher calling and greater challenge for creativity from every member” of Tobago’s, Trinidad’s, and the Caribbean’s most iconic choristers. The Odyssey, he says in a media release, “pushes for a new vision for creativity in presentation of music and movement.”

The team executing the year-long celebration is led by choir member Dexter Trim and comprises other SHAC members, including its indomitable choreographer and 40-year member, Georgina “Gidge” Peterkin.

They all agree that this futuristic thinking enables them to reflect on new ways to incorporate multimedia elements, futuristic visuals, and interactive technologies in all productions.

“We have an opportunity to explore the future of musical expressions, and innovations in the artistic realm,” says Arnold, “while challenging every choir member to visualise SHAC of the future and bring their ideas to the upcoming performances and the continued development.”

It is quite an appealing proposition for patrons of the three September concerts in Trinidad and the October production in Tobago. Based on the standard that SHAC has set globally, anticipation runs high as to how the team will draw inspiration from futuristic sounds and cutting-edge technology to take their game higher.

Giving thanks

Last November, SHAC began the celebrations with a yuletide concert titled Christmas Again: Songs We Sing, at The UWI, St Augustine. The choir was joined by some of its long-standing and newer friends such as Los Alumnos De San Juan, pannist/vocalist Kern Sumerville, and Tobago’s star violinist Caryll Warner.

Warner featured again in March, at the thanksgiving service at Shaw Park Complex (SPC) to mark the anniversary date of its beginnings in March 1984. The versatile musician rendered Jireh by Elevation Worship & Maverick City, a fitting response to the sermon done by Rev Adolf Davis, Superintendent of the Methodist Church, Tobago Circuit.

Giving thanks for the choir’s 40th birthday, Rev Davis stirringly implored the audience on that Sunday afternoon to “think and be more deliberate about giving thanks.”

Davis’s skillfully delivered message was based aptly on Psalm 95:1-2 which says, “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song (NIV).

He spoke of the new social media culture of “like” and “love” emojis and how in people adopting a behaviour that often feigns appreciation or unthinkingly responds to everything, we make no differentiation between those acts and the practice of true gratefulness. Consequently, by proxy, he suggested, we are unintendedly creating a humanity of “likes” and “loves” that omits true thanksgiving.

When Arnold addressed the event, he acknowledged the attendees, making special mention of Bertille St Clair’s presence. In welcoming St Clair, Arnold spoke of the meteoric and iconic period of the 1980s when Tobago was leading formidably in two areas on our national landscape: football and music.

In the 1980s, while Arnold led Signal Hill Secondary in musical excellence, St Clair led the football team to fame in the Secondary Schools Football League and in copping intercol titles.

Arnold praised St Clair’s national service, reminding us that in the ensuing years, St Clair would also evolve unparalleled in the football arena, leading the TT senior team to the semifinals of the Concacaf Gold Cup (2000), and the Soca Warriors in the 2006 World Cup campaign to Germany.

St Clair’s work as a football coach is what is regarded in the annals as the impetus for the successes of former Soca Warriors’ captain Tobagonian Dwight Yorke, TT’s most illustrious footballer to date.

When the floor opened for tributes, Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA) Assemblyman Dr Faith B Yisrael, Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection was first to take the podium.

Yisrael was recognised by Arnold for always giving support to the choir and to wider efforts in Tobago’s development. She brought greetings on behalf of the THA and, speaking glowingly of the success of SHAC and the example it remains of the greatness that comes out of Tobago, she exuded the pride of someone deeply invested.

Speaking next was teacher and musician Lincoln Warner, former principal of Scarborough Secondary School (formerly Scarborough Junior Secondary) from 1972-1997 who drew reference to the symbiosis of his school and Signal Hill in the 1980s and 1990s.

Warner shared that during his tenure, many of his graduates who benefited from an active music programme at his school progressed into Signal Hill Secondary and boosted the talent pool of the school’s folk choir. By then “Compre” was sweeping every choral category at the TT biennial music festival.

That all-conquering choir retired from competing in 1990, having dominated the festival during the 80s under Arnold’s directorship. The Signalite Chorale, also founded by Arnold, then became every competing school choir’s nemesis in the 1990s, continuing the winning tradition of its predecessor.

Future presence

The evening tributes also featured a next-level story of commitment and dedication. Veronica Williams introduced herself and declared that she had been a member of SHAC for 40 years. She then told the story of the musical journey of her three daughters – Subrena, Desiree, and Gilda – as choristers over the past four decades.

Williams’ claims to membership was put in context as she shared how she has worked in every area of the choir’s development whether it was cooking food, selling tickets, or fundraising, to name a few, to support her daughters and the group.

Williams boasted of rarely missing a performance and being actively engaged with her first daughter Subrena in the Signalite Chorale. Subrena, an alto singer, was followed by Desiree who joined the Signalite Chorale from1994-2002. She was “a strong lead and a soprano singer” who later joined the Signal Hill Alumni Choir.

These are the stories that Arnold believes must be told. And in his words “it is the kind of legacy that builds a choir into an iconic institution.”

“It is why this theme 2064: A Musical Odyssey bears so much importance,” says Arnold. “Through this theme, the choir celebrates not only the evolution of music – its own and that of others – but also the continuity in innovation.”

When asked what he deemed as the pillars for the survival of any institution, but specifically choirs in TT, Arnold said that “strong and stable leadership, a vision, passion and a sense of belonging by every member” were paramount to longevity.

Arnold said in his academic research he has learned that TT choirs which have existed for over 40 years had those attributes. Citing the visionary leadership of some great choral leaders as the last Pat Bishop (The Lydians), the late Joy Caesar (Southernaires), and Bernadette Scott (Love Movement), Arnold said that succession planning is also key.

So, it was fitting that the thanksgiving service ended with Gilda Williams, the youngest of Veronica’s trifecta, leading the choir in their only rendition of the day. Gilda is one of those that Arnold is mentoring as part of the vocal leadership of SHAC of the future.

Doing the South African praise song Vuma, Gilda executed with predictable passion. And in the genre of choirs that make “music that moves,” having moved our hearts to thanksgiving, the programme ended with commendations to its organiser, long-standing member Kevin Doyle and team.

SHAC’s year-long celebration, which began last November, includes several activities in Tobago and Trinidad in education exchanges, visual arts presentations, community and family events, and more, including four concert performances scheduled for later this year.

On June 1, the choir hosts an invitational sports and family day at the Buccoo Integrated Facility from 2 pm to 8 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.