For more than 50 years, the concert choir at St Jago de la Vega Cathedral in Spanish Town has been staging its Good Friday presentation. This year was no different.

Under the direction of choirmaster and organist Trevor Beckford, the singers have presented works from the greats, including Handel, Bach, Mendelssohn, and Stainer.

On paper, the selection of works for this year’s programme was excellent. However, it was the execution where some failed to live up to expectations. In some cases, the choir just did not have the numbers to carry some of the choral work which required the right blend of four-part harmony. This was most evident in And The Glory of The Lord from Handel’s Messiah, in which each part — soprano, alto, tenor and bass — has a specific theme which must be carried individually. It is often said that you don’t rehearse to get it right, you rehearse till you can’t get it wrong. Other presentations could have benefited from more rehearsals.

Despite the missteps, the Good Friday presentation did have its moments.

Tenor Orville Manning has been a staple on the classical music scene for some time. The years have allowed him to develop a level of ease and comfort in front of an audience. On Friday, he was given the task of carrying a number of arias and he delivered. Comfort Ye My People, Ev’ry Valley, and Thou Shalt Break Them, all from Messiah, were among the pieces on which he stamped his class, showcasing great tone and pitch which filled the centuries-old cathedral.

Baritone Jomo Aikens was the other noteworthy performer at the recital. He possesses a valuable instrument which is well suited to classical music. Among the younger performers in the choir, he is definitely one for the future. He gave life to The Trumpet Shall Sound, A New Commandment, and When They Had Sung a Hymn.

Beckford is a musical treasure and it is great to see him passing on his years of experience and expertise to a younger generation. His organ duet with young Kristojay Talbott was indeed pleasing to the ear, as was her piano solo. Succession planning is clearly in effect and one hopes that in years to come, young talents such as Talbott and Aikens will carry on the mantle.

Some work must be done to build on this legacy established by Beckford. One hopes that the team at the cathedral will critically look at the format of this annual event and examine the available vocal resources in order to avoid this year’s sub-par moments and build for the future.