MAXINE Brown, director of public relations and communications of the Jamaican-Austrian Felsted Celebration, hopes for more awareness to be raised about local composers after today’s event staging.

“We want everyone to be educated, and for exposure of Jamaican talent to show that we are keeping history alive from 220 years ago. We’ve been composing music, and not just reggae but also classical music. Hardly anybody knows about the composers,” Brown told the Jamaica Observer.

“Rosina Moder, who is the executive director of Music Unites Jamaica Foundation (MUJF), has been doing a lot of research, and in her findings she found that Jamaican Samuel Felsted contributed a lot to local classical music,” she continued.

The concert will be held at the Kingston Parish Church on King Street in downtown Kingston. It begins at 1:00 pm.

Local performers will include The National Chorale of Jamaica with musical director Winston Ewart, featuring soprano Christine McDonald, tenor John McFarlane, and accompanied by organist for Kingston Parish Church, Dwight McBean.

Meanwhile, Austrian acts will include Franz Zebinger – Austria’s prominent organist, Kornelia Pilz on recorder, Alvis Reid (bass player), Luke Dixon (pianist) and Rosina Christina Moder on recorder.

Peter Ashbourne and Oscar Kremer will also grace the stage.

Brown says the event is the first of its kind in Jamaica and will be the first diplomatic event to commemorate Jamaica’s 60th Independence.

“We are celebrating it between Jamaica and Austria. We want to showcase Jamaica on a world-class level with classical music,” she said.

– Kediesha Perry