UNDER the distinguished patronage of the Anglican Lord Bishop of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, the Right Reverend Dr Alfred Reid and his wife, the Diocesan Festival Choir staged its gala performance of a compilation of work by Felix Mendelssohn, titled for its final chorus Be Not Afraid.

Donning new festive, bright red uniforms, the choir sought to inspire its small audience with their choral abilities. Having a charming mix of young and mature voices, the choir produced a good ensemble sound; with lovely unison passages, but they failed to maintain this balance when four-part harmonised passages were undertaken.

The evening’s presentation began calmly with Lord, How Long Will Thou Forget Me from Psalm 13. The Night is Departing followed with sopranos sliding uneasily up to what may have been an A. This made way for O Thou, the true and only lightwhich could have been more with active interpretation. O come let us let us worship was next which featured well-known soloist Carole Reid. She did much justice to the text though she was inaudible in her soft passages. O King of Mercywas then well executed with great texture and with true prayerful understanding.

It was good to hear solo work being done by other members of the choir. Evangeline Martin and Dominic Cobran led the choir through a playful rendition of O Jesus, I have promised from the Italian Symphony. The words of Charles Wesley’s Love Divine were the next presentation from the choir. Again the techniques of crescendo and decrescendo — ebb and flow — would have given this more character. These techniques were, however, remarkably executed in If with all your hearts sung by a chorus of tenors. While an unruly line in other pieces, this item easily caused goosebumps, as the voices blended well. It was well controlled and a wonderful display of male singing. The choir seemed to have been encouraged and followed creditably with Courage Brother! The tune itself a popular carol, Hark! The Herald Angel Sing, the audience showed its appreciation though they might not have heard every word.

The first half closed with the grand Be Not Afraid which was an obvious challenge for the choir. As stated, though, the choir ensembled well to close and pronounce the final “Thy help is near: be not afraid, saith God the Lord”; complete with Ann Trouth on piano and Albert Shaun Hird on flute.

Modern Praise

After a brief intermission, the audience was taken from the traditional oratorio to modern praise. Opening this segment was St Luke’s Anglican Sign Language Ministry; they gave a youthful item with the use of white gloves to illume the hands. Then came the fanfaric All People that on Earth Do Dwell which moved the congregation at St Luke’s Anglican Church in Cross Roads, Kingston. Other items that stirred response were the spiritual Great Day, God and God Alone and a lovely Ukrainian Alleluia. In all, however, a pleasing more manageable second half that showed the choir’s energy. The other accompanists on the programme came alive in this section producing bird sounds and atmospheric booms from trumpeter Ferdinand Campbell and percussionist Delroy Franklyn in items such as In a Monastery Garden.

Church Support

Among those present for the gala presentation were Bishop of Kingston, The Right Reverend Dr Robert Thompson, who gave the invocation and welcome. Chancellor of the Diocese Lensley Wolfe also showed his support. Rectors across the Kingston and St Andrew region namely, the Reverends Patrick Cunningham and Whitson Williams came to enjoy the blessed event. There is no doubt, however, that far more support from the many congregations in the regions would have been welcome. Maybe they will see another performance as the choir moves across the island. Noticeably, though, at least two members of the choir supported from the pews in the church; with at least one on break seemingly she is about the business of shoring up the future generation of the choir. Congrats.