Cuatro champ Romario Constantine

FROM the time he could walk, Romario Constantine’s instincts led him to pick up the chac-chac and play. At his first performance in preschool with his siblings Romario's parents recognised his incredible talent and stage presence.

His natural gravitation towards music did not go unnoticed as his father, Romello Constantine, began teaching him to play the cuatro at the age of seven. In just a couple years Romario went from being a complete beginner to mastering the instrument.

“Music calms me down and it really helps me when I'm feeling lost, I really just think of a song and I can keep on going,” Romario told Newsday in an interview on December 5.

During the interview Romario spontaneously picked up his cuatro and began playing, becoming completely immersed in the melodies as if forgetting the world around him.

Now nine years old, Romario plays in the junior choir at the Paramin RC Primary School. As one of the top players, he competed with his school at the National Parang Association of Trinidad and Tobago junior parang competition at Holy Cross College, Arima on November 16.

“It’s work,” Romario said, “But I like being in the choir, sometimes it’s tough and sometimes it’s easier.”

The choir practises a variety of songs including hymns, but Romario’s favourite to play is a parang tune called Angelo. During his daily practice he learns his songs chord by chord, mastering each one before moving on to the next. In the end, he’s able to play perfectly by memory.

But Romario’s musical talent does not stop there. While he plans on continuing to play the cuatro for a few more years his talent has led him to pick up other instruments including the violin.

“There are a lot of other instruments I'd like to play and learn. But I already have a little spark on the piano so I want to focus on piano before I go to any other instruments.”

Romario tries to spread that spark to his siblings, including his older brother who also plays the cuatro and guitar, teaching them chords and songs. And while Romario says his siblings aren’t quite as good as him he’s always willing to show them a thing or two.