Michael Reckord, Contributor
The Adventist Praise Chorale performing at the Andrews Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church Stewardship Department's 'An Evening of Excellence', held at University Chapel, UWI, Mona campus on Sunday. - PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THE SIXTH staging of the 'Evening of Excellence' series presented by the Andrews Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church's Stewardship Department took place at the University Chapel, Mona, on Sunday. Scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m., it actually got underway half an hour later and it ended at 8:30 p.m.
Though the items delighted the full 'house' for they were, as promised, excellent they would have been even more appreciated if the concert had been better stage-managed and tightened. (A comparison may justifiably be made with the National Dance Theatre Company's Easter
morning concert at which a similar number of pieces were presented in one hour and 15 minutes flat.)
Blame for the over-long show may be divided among Dr Curtis Watson, who forgot his music, the extended introductions of the performers by MC Michael Anthony Cuffe and a malfunctioning public address system.
The performers, in order of their appearance in Part 1, were: the 17-strong Adventist Praise Chorale (formed 1995), accompanied by Livingston Burnett; soprano Ana Strachan, accompanied on piano by Paulette Bellamy; Watson (bass-baritone); the 27-strong Andrews Memorial SDA choir, accompanied by Carlos Hunter and directed by Charles Clayton; Bellamy (violin) and Yekengale (keyboard); and soprano Velia Ann Espeut.
After the half an hour break (though Cuffe asked for a 10-minute one), Ancile Gloudon read, dramatically his poem 'The Last Hurdle' about Jesus' final hours on earth, and Ana Strachan returned with her younger sister, Samantha, for a duet.
The first presentation, an enthusiastic delivery of Hayden's Ye Harps, Awake!, was done by the Praise Chorale, conducted by Verley Brown. This rich-toned group which draws its membership from various SDA churches in the Corporate Area has, not surprisingly, done a lot of touring (the USA in 1998, 1999 and 2000, and Antigua and Barbuda in 2001).
HIGHLY ENTERTAINING
Next, Ana Strachan gave a textured, sincere rendition of Our Father, and was followed by Watson who was highly entertaining with four varied pieces. They were Stradella's poignant Piata Signore (O Lord, Have Mercy), about a man facing execution; the powerful affirmation by Francis Elletsen, The Lord is My Light; the immortal song from Show Boat, Ol' Man River, and the spiritual Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, which was given a humorous arrangement by Watson.
The SDA choir lustily sang its two selections, And the Glory of the Lord (Handel), and Listen to the Lambs, and was followed by Bellamy and Yekengale's offerings, God is Working His Purpose Out and Handel's Hallelujah chorus from Messiah, which were both energetic and filled with feeling.
In his introduction of Espeut, Cuffe said she was "a woman with a stupendous voice", and that she showed herself to be, as, with glorious tone and colour, she sang God is Truly Amazing and I Shall forever Lift My Eyes. A charming, persuasive performer, she got the audience to sing along and so brought the first part of the concert to a strong, joyous end.
Espeut, Bellamy, Yekengale and the Praise Chorale returned in Part 2 with other high quality items. The new scheduled performers in the section were Gloudon with his heart-felt poem, and the amazing Samantha Strachan who, though only a second-former and small in stature, showed she has a powerful pair of lungs. She and sister Ana sang I Love the Lord and Let This Be Our Prayer. So moved were some audience members that they gave the girls a standing ovation.
There was one unprogrammed presentation, a duet by Espeut and Oswald Smith, the concert's coordinator, who was persuaded by Espeut to show off his singing talent. He proved he has a good voice and the duet, The Love of God is Greater by Far was quite enjoyable. The evening ended with the combined artistes singing Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory.
