“Phenomenal!” That was the expression of an enthused patron who found agreement in others as they exited the Shaw Park Complex last Sunday evening chipping in the sing-along of Mical Teja’s DNA, as the Signal Hill Alumni Choir (SHAC) interacted with the crowd, greeting and thanking patrons.
Under the auspices of the President Christine Kanglaoo and in the presence of her husband Kerwyn Garcia, the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, Farley Augustine, assemblymen, councillors, other dignitaries and a whole lot of Tobagonians who braved the downpours, the choir presented what is arguably its most scintillating show.
SHAC’s 2064: A Musical Odyssey final performance in the 40th anniversary concert series began with a gospel segment, in which the choir rendered three songs Swing Down Sweet Chariot, Come Let Us Praise and an adapted version of the Hallelujah Chorus. And as expected, the choralography for which they are best known was captivating from the first note.
It was a fitting tribute too, as artistic director John Arnold introduced this segment telling the audience that Swing Down Sweet Chariot was the first winning song ever performed by the group. And in a special throwback the choir was joined by some of the original past members.
Powerhouse Stephanie Joseph was the first of six guest performers to take the stage.
[caption id="attachment_1113908" align="alignnone" width="755"] Lynette Louis performs at SHAC’s 2064: A Musical Odyssey concert at Shaw Park Complex on October 6. - Scott's Photography[/caption]
In that sultry, soothing entry to her cover of Michael Bolton’s When I’m Back on My Feet Again, Joseph took patrons to church and lifted to the heights of hope. And while still basking in the “the sweet light of heaven, shining down its light” she invited the audience to clap along to her performance of Say a Little Prayer, made popular by Dionne Warwick in the mid-1960s.
The evenings celebration continued with Music Amateurs Choir. They were the last of the five choirs in TT that are over 40 years old to have performed in the concert series. Arnold explained that SHAC’s accomplishment mirrored the work of many others before, and in a spirit of homage and community the series featured the Southernaires Choir, The Lydians, The Love Movement Choir and The Marionettes in the three Trinidad shows.
With music educator and star violinist Caryll Warner as conductor, and in the music legacy of her dad, Lincoln Warner, a long-standing member of the choir, Music Amateurs showed their vocal prowess and maturity as only a choral group of over 60 years could.
They sang covers of As Long as I Have Music (Don Besig and Nancy Price); Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World and the beautiful reassurance of Scott and Russell’s He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother.
The choir is well known for classical and gospel genres but also boast a rich repertoire of calypso renditions and for their final song they showed their versatility with a delightful arrangement of Ras Shorty I’s Watch Out My Children.
