Four outstanding Jamaicans received the National Chorale Medal of Excellence in a short ceremony at King’s House in St Andrew, Sunday evening.

The National Chorale Medal of Excellence is awarded every five years to members who have made significant contributions to the chorale’s development, or Jamaicans who have distinguished themselves in the field of classical music.

This year’s awardees are: Winston Alexander Ewart, musical director, National Chorale of Jamaica; Marilyn Brice-MacDonald, contralto; Carole Elaine Reid, soprano; and Reverend Easton Hugh Lee, dramatic artist and communications professional.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen made the medal presentations as family, friends and chorale colleagues cheered.

Student at the Norman Manley Law School, Joerio Scott, delivered the citations for the honorees. He outlined the impact and contributions each made to the chorale and to Jamaica.

Ewart worked as a banker until 1996 when he became director of studies for Music at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. His journey with the National Chorale began in 1972 as one of its founding members. He was part of the tenor section and was later appointed line leader.

Ewart became chorus master for the chorale’s major works, directed by Geoffrey Fairweather. In 2007, he became music specialist at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and currently serves as musical director of the National Chorale of Jamaica. Ewart has been an organist, choir master and accompanist of Christ Church Anglican (in Kingston) for over 50 years.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer, he said the award was a surprise.

“It’s a very tremendous award!” he exclaimed. “It was a little bit unexpected but I’m taking it in stride. I laughed when they called me, I had to laugh ’cause you know you’re there from day one and you are just working and keeping things going but didn’t know that this really would happen. This happened in my presence behind my back,” he said.

Brice-MacDonald shared similar sentiments when she got the news.

“I laughed when I heard. You know when you don’t have any ‘broughtupsee’, mi just bus’ outta laugh and sey, ‘yuh mussi mad’. Those were my words. The point is, when you doing what you doing you don’t really think of this and sometimes I feel (like) a bit of a hypocrite ’cause you doing it ’cause you enjoy it, you not doing it for country or anybody, you just doing it because you want to do it. So, it’s really good to be honoured,” she said.

Brice-MacDonald is a long-serving member of the Jamaica Folk Singers. She has worked on albums such as Pepperpot and appeared in many television specials.

Reid started singing at the age of 12. She eventually went to Jamaica School of Music where she studied voice under Jeanette Cross and Joyce Britton. She is also a founding member of the National Chorale.

In 1997, she along with Ewart travelled with the Jamaica Folk Singers to Roodeport in South Africa to attend the International Eisteddfod of South Africa. She earned silver medals for participation and achievement in operatic class.

During her chat with the Jamaica Observer, Reid said receiving the award is truly an honour.

“It’s a wonderful feeling, it’s very exhilarating. It has been a joy to be a part of this movement and to be honoured is something special and it is memorable. There are so many memories. It is another family,” she said.

Lee was a happy man.

“I am humbled by this award. I remember the first meeting, that was when everyone wanted to talk and I had to just shut them up, in no uncertain way. Shut them up,” he recalled.

Lee is an author, dramatist, actor, theatre director, photographer and media personality. Early in his career, he became a member of the Caribbean Thespians Dramatic Society where he established himself as a major acting talent and served as drama officer to the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

A former chairman of the National Chorale of Jamaica, he is a recipient of the Order of Distinction.