'Christmas on Strings'

The Mountambrin Estate which is home to Mountambrin Theatre and Gallery will be serving up a treat this Christmas titled, 'Christmas on Strings'. The concert will feature stellar musical performers Paulette Bellamy, Musgrave awardee and Jamaican music icon; Sharon Martini, British-born opera and jazz singer and Jose Carlos Oxamendi Vicet, Cuban-born violoncellist. The three will be weaving musical notes to warm the hearts with music from traditional Christmas specials, Jamaican fun Christmas pieces such as Santa itch up inna Mango Tree and jazz numbers from Nina Simone and Lena Horne, and much more. These three musical extraordinaires will be filling the walls of the gallery with sounds from their strings that will have the guests moving to the beat, bopping heads and rising to their feet to 'shake a leg', or lift their voices to sing along.

The concert is being made possible by the graciousness of Dr Russell Gruhkle, philanthropist and naturalised Jamaican who has once again opened up his Westmoreland home to lovers of music and art. He does this as he endeavours to make real his dream of having as many Jamaicans exposed to classical and jazz music and to art, and of course this season is perfect for this musical art expose.

Hope for young people

"I really will like our young people in particular to be able to infuse in their conversation, information taken from the lives of classical composers and jazz singers who made it against the odds," he said. "The lives of those greats and those who are alive today and walk among us, can serve as an inspiration when persons feel defeated. I hope that having attended any of our concerts, that are all open to the public, that persons when they feel low, can go to a place in their hearts where they can reflect on what they have been exposed to through the music and be lifted. having seen the performers, and having been elevated by the movements on strings, vocal or instrumental, I just hope that it may lift spirits and transform lives, that would give me great joy."

Christmas on Strings will be held on Sunday, December 18 and will have curtain call for 2 p.m. with a gourmet meal, wines and other spirits available. The Mountambrin Estate is located in Caledonia, Westmoreland, with a bird's-eye view of Savanna-la-Mar and the Negril coastline.