An audience gathered on the solemn Good Friday afternoon to experience the music of the season.

As a backdrop to the entertainment that would proceed was the restoration of an age-old pipe organ nestled in the heart of downtown Kingston, the Church of St Thomas the Apostle (Kingston Parish Church).

That remained the mission of this now well-supported calendar event of seasonally appropriate music.

The line-up of classical artistes delivered high-quality performances befitting the season of focus on Christ’s Passion.

The choir of Kingston Parish Church opened the musical selections with Adoramus Christe (Christ We Do All Adore Thee) from Theodore Dubois’s Seven Last Words.

Archie Dunkley then presented Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ (I Call On Thee, O Lord) by Johann Sebastian Bach and Dubois’s Toccata.

Diocesan Festival Choir was in fine form on its three pieces — When Thou Comest/Inflammatus from Gioachino Rossini’s Stabat Mater (featuring soprano Lori Burnett), Eternal Life arranged by Fred Buck, and the Negro spiritual Poor Man Laz’rus.

Burnett — easily one the best around these days — soared in a display of dexterity in colour and texture of her vocal instrument. The choir provided solid support.

The ladies of the Immaculate Conception High School (ICHS) Chamber Ensemble were a thrilling experience. From the work of Douglas Wagner ( But the greatest of these) to a Paulette Bellamy medley Daylight at Solas Market, the 14-member ensemble offered a masterful performance.

So too was the fingering and nimbleness of pianist Stephen Shaw-Naar with Mazeppa by Franz Liszt. He would seemed to use every key of the instrument.

Violinist Steven Woodham, accompanied by Yanique Leiba Ebanks on piano, also delivered a trio of delightful pieces. He started with the snake-like dance of In The Style of Albeniz (Rodion Shchedrin), then the melodic Cinema Paradiso, Love Theme (Ennio Morricone), and ended with the playful Danse Espagnole (Manuel de Falla).

Curator of the evening’s programme Dwight McBean then took to the organ stool to present
Nimrod from Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar and Nun Danket Alle Got (Now Thank We All Our God) by Sigfrid Karg-Elert.

The entire cast of performers would then join for the finale of the grand Old Rugged Cross, led by soloist Kathryn Marrett.

Audience, too, was enlisted in the performance.

Rector of Kingston Parish Church Rev Fr Louis Hurst explained that the mission continues to restore the pipe organ, giving an update of the work done over the past year and signposting some what was yet to be undertaken.

He also thank audience, many of whom have become annual supporters of the recital, for their contribution to the cause.

The evening of choral and instrumental music proved a feast in itself.

— MAT