A SEA of patrons flowed into the Vera Moody Auditorium on the grounds of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in St Andrew for the Karen Smith Memorial Scholarship Concert on Sunday, October 9.

“We have a bumper crowd,” DiMario McDowell told the Jamaica Observer. McDowell was speaking on behalf of the Friends of Karen Smith who partnered with the Edna Manley College to stage the concert.

The sizeable audience was a boon as the aim of the event was to raise funds to provide scholarships for students of the institution. He further explained that attendance had surpassed the ticket numbers.

“Saying I’m happy with the turnout tonight is an understatement. I’m absolutely thrilled. They did tell me, when I was organising this event, that we might not have enough seats and that has come to fruition. It has manifested itself. People did turnout and we’re very happy about that. It really goes to show the impact that Karen really had on so many different persons,” said Andre Adman, acting dean, School of Music at the Edna Manley College.

Adman explained that Smith’s connection with the entity was more than that of a role model to students seeking success in her genre of music, and included being an adjudicator for end-of-the-year examinations.

“For our students, it’s important for them to see that the society is willing to support artists like Karen, who primarily is known for cabaret singing, which is not necessarily one of our traditional, popular acts, but another sphere, another style, which in her own original way has made an impact,” Adman said.

Evidence of this impact came as each artiste could have been the evening’s headliner. The acts for the evening included Carlene Davis, Ernie Smith, Junior Tucker and a surprise set from Tarrus Riley, as well as instrumentalists Dean Fraser, Peter Ashbourne and Dwight Richards. Despite the packed programme, no artiste overstayed his or her welcome, while Desi Jones and his band kept pace with each transition of musical style. The presentations included originals and renditions of Karen’s favourite songs. The concert closed with a slideshow celebrating her life, complemented by a recording of ‘Wings of Hope’ by Smith accompanied by the Edna Manley choir live.

McDowell and Adman were hopeful that the outpouring of support would result in more scholarships and financial support to upgrade the college facilities. Also the Friends of Karen Smith and event patron, former Prime Minister PJ Patterson, would wish the concert to be an annual staging. Later this month, the Karen Smith Memorial Scholarship Concert will be staged in Montego Bay.

Smith passed last year in the Second City after a one-year battle with colon cancer.