UNIVERSITY of the West Indies’s Mona Campus Male Chorus is slated to headline this evening’s benefit concert – Songs of Joy and Inspiration – at King’s House in St Andrew. Showtime is 6:00 pm.

The event’s proceeds are in aid of service organisation St John’s Ambulance, which is seeking to raise funds to purchase life-saving equipment. These include: automated electronic defibrillators, used to help restore persons suffering from cardiac arrest; Kendric Extrication Devices, used to help remove casualties of road accidents from their vehicles; as well as other medical equipment and supplies for emergencies and general care.

Songbird Karen Smith is also billed to perform at the concert, which is being held under the distinguished patronage of Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen, who is president of the National Council of St John, Jamaica.

Agostinho Pinnock, vice-president of administration and cast member of the male chorus, is promising an evening of musical excitement.

“It’s going to be a musical tour de force. Every time we perform, we rise to a new level… the quality keeps improving,” Pinnock told Sunday Observer.

“There are not a lot of male choruses in Jamaica, so we’re helping to raise the standard and set the bar. So patrons can expect an exciting and spectacular evening,” he continued.

Alison Christie Binger, executive director of St John Jamaica, said St John’s aim is to improve the quality of health care.

“This equipment will help us considerably in our work, especially as we provide first aid and medical coverage for a wide range of events and as we work steadily to continually improve our service to Jamaica,” she said.

The organisation, which has been serving Jamaica for over 116 years, also provides training in first aid and cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), emergency medical responder and nursing care.

Started in the 2014-15 academic year, the Mona Campus Male Chorus (MCMC) is the brainchild of musical genius Noel Dexter, who serves as director. Patrons at the concert can expect to be treated to a diverse presentation of male voice music such as classical, pop, folk, and gospel.