PUPILS from south-central Trinidad emerged ahead of their colleagues from Tobago and north Trinidad as the national championships of the 2024 TT Music Festival kicked off at Naparima Bowl, San Fernando, on Monday.
It was a day of solos, mainly vocal but also some instrumental. Six vocal classes were showcased. South-central won four, north one and Tobago one.
The audience was sparse but should grow on Tuesday when school choirs and musical ensembles will compete.
Despite their young age, three girls representing each region in the girls’ vocal solos 11-12 years set an extremely high standard.
They sang the test piece, On The Good Ship Lollipop, the signature song of child actress Shirley Temple on the silver screen in 1934.
Sienna Tang was first on stage, the youngest competitor in this class, representing north Trinidad.
With a very sweet voice and endearing hand gestures, Tang smoothly captured the idea of childhood innocence and playful adventure.
“On The Good Ship Lollipop, It’s a sweet trip to a candy shop.
“Where bonbons play, On the sunny beach of Peppermint Bay,” she sang.
Cool and calm, she gave an excellent all-round performance, with perhaps more sweet vulnerability than the precocious Temple.
Next on, south-central champ Ziara Ali from The Trebles singing group had a voice of maturity and sophistication that belied her slight build. With excellent projection and diction, holding her notes at length and offering expansive arm movements, she ended on an impressive high note, holding at length, singing the final, “Loll-i-pop!”
After two superb presentations, what else new could anyone possibly bring to this class, onlookers surely mused at this point?
Yet from Tobago, Jinaliah Beckles, quite amazingly, brought something new.
[caption id="attachment_1069589" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ziara Ali performs the test piece On The Good Ship Lollipop to win the girls’ vocal solos 11-12 years category at the start of the TT Music Festival championships at Naparima Bowl on Monday. - Courtesy TT Music Festival[/caption]
With great posture, she oozed a whole lot of natural talent. Her voice had a depth, full sound and a nicely rounded tone. Notes flowed smoothly from one to another, akin to a legato style.
Adjudicators Nadine Gonzales and Dr Richard Tang Yuk awarded the top spot to Ali, who was presented with the Joan Yuille Williams Trophy by the former culture minister herself.
Newsday spoke to Beckles, a Buccoo Primary School pupil who had come to Trinidad with her father. She said, “It felt good. I enjoyed it.”
Nodding towards her father, she said, “I come from a singing family, so it is kind of in my blood.”
Beckles’ father said it was her first time at the festival.
“Hearing her sing today and seeing how much she could do, I am really, really, really proud of her.”
With Beckles set to write the SEA Exam within two weeks, Newsday asked about her schedule. Her father replied, “I think you should not really pressure the child all the time. They need to relax as well. T
