Michael Reckord, Gleaner Writer
The Kingston College Chapel Choir performs during the institution's Christmas concert 2007, held at the University of the West Indies Chapel, Mona campus, on Sunday. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
The purple and white gowns worn by the Kingston College Chapel Choir at their Christmas concert on Sunday might have been symbolic, the white indicating the purity of the voices, the purple, the royalty associated with the occasion.
Certainly, the three dozen or so young men in the choir were in good voice. (Thirty-seven members: six basses, tenors an each, with the remainder being trebles, were listed in the printed programme, though not all were present.) And the occasion was a celebration of the birth of King Jesus.
Under the patronage of Lady Rheima Hall, the concert was held at the University Chapel, Mona. Also being celebrated was the 60th anniversary of the founding of Kingston College.
Under the baton of long-time choir director Wayne Moore (who, having taken up duties elsewhere, is now unfortunately only at the school part-time), the choir performed 25 items: anthems, hymns and carols. The sensitive accompaniment of Dr. D. Anthony Lewis, the organist/pianist, contributed much to the delight experienced by the audience.
Enthused patrons
Its appreciation was expressed in two major ways, one being the frequency of the applause. The other was the enthusiasm with which most patrons joined the choir in the singing of three carols, (indicated in the programme) O Little Town of Bethlehem, The First Noel and Hark the Herald Angels Sing, the final one.
The words of the songs were conveniently printed in the programme, which one found useful for other information. For instance, "The Kingston College Chapel Choir was formed in 1947, under Percival Gibson, the founding headmaster of the school and later Bishop of Jamaica. Initially, the choir's activities were confined to St. Augustine's Chapel at the school, singing at Wednesday services and Sunday masses.
"Later, under the influence of Barry Davies, the choir has performed at churches throughout the island and established its tradition of its annual Christmas concert."
The programme notes comprised bio-sketches on the composers of the items in the first-half of the concert. They were George F. Handel (Zadok the Priest and the Hallelujah Chorus), Wolfgang A. Mozart (Ave Verum), Henry Purcell (Rejoice in the Lord Always), Johann Sebastian Bach (Flocks in Pastures Green and Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring), Anton Bruckner (Locus Iste), Alan Ridout (Let Us With a Gladsome Mind), Maurice Durufle (Ubi Caritas et Amor), John Rutter (I Will Sing With the Spirit), and Jamaica's own Noel Dexter (Psalm 150: Praise Ye the Lord).
Also sung in Part one, without the composer being credited, was perhaps the most popular hymn of all time, Amazing Grace. It was arranged though by Anthony Furnivall.
Carols dominated Part two of the programme. The soloist for O Holy Night was Jennifer Williams, whose soprano voice soared beautifully for much of the carol, only getting rather shrill for one high note.
Bell-like voices
That was the only really poorly handled high note for the entire concert. That is to say, the trebles sang beautifully; and they got a lot of opportunity to do so. Their bell-like voices were especially effective in carols focusing on the young, like Ding Dong Merrily, Infant King, Carol of the Bells and Carol of the Drums.
Though fewer in number, the heavier voices of th and basses provided a good balance to the trebles and tenors and all in all the harmony of the voices was exemplary. Speaking of examples, though a KC old boy myself, I am an admirer of the JC Chapel Choir (incidentally conducted by another KC alumnus, Randall Campbell) which always presents a major work, along with the minor ones, in its Christmas concerts.
It would have been pleasurable for the audience, and a beneficial exercise for the KC choir if it had tackled and offered a long work to supplement the numerous brief, relatively simple, items presented on Sunday.
