The Tribune

From February 20-25, 2013, the Nassau Music Society will hold a “Festival of Afro-Caribbean Composers” in Nassau. The festival is built around the music of Caribbean composers, both past and present, such as Chevalier de Saint-George (“The Black Mozart”) of Guadeloupe, as well as Bahamian composer Cleophas Adderley and Trinidadian composer Dominique Le Gendre, whose music will be reflective of the great music of Saint-George.

The international orchestra Ensemble du Monde will take part in the Festival and arrive on February 20. They will perform five concerts in total before leaving on Monday 25. Ensemble du Monde, will showcase their music which is comprised of Afro-American, American and international musicians. The show will be directed and conducted by Marlon Daniel. It includes a quartet – Quatuor Mahogany – as well as a Chamber Group.

Other performers include the Bahamas National Youth Choir conducted by Cleophas Adderley, C-Force with Chris Justilien, Dr Christy Lee, Dr Christine Gangelhoff, a special guest performance by Bahamian soprano JoAnn Callender.

There will also be a seminar entitled “Bahamas International Symposium on Composers of African & Afro-Caribbean Descent” which will be held in The Harry C. Moore Library of the College of The Bahamas. Musical genres associated with the Caribbean typically include popular and traditional styles. Although many composers of art music have emerged from Caribbean nations and from the Caribbean Diaspora, information on this subject is scarce. As composers are slowly gaining recognition, a new understanding of and visibility for Caribbean art music is emerging.

The mission of this symposium is to explore this topic of regional and international interest, drawing perspectives from a wide range of disciplines. Local musical luminaries such as Cleophas Adderley, Audrey Dean-Wright, Quincy Parker and Christian Justilien will be discussing their music and how they compose. They will be joined by personalities from across the Caribbean including Fred Onovwerosvoke, Leo Koby Vero (French Guyana), Adam Walters (Trinidad), Carlos Carillo-Cotto (Puerto Rico), Peter Ashbourne (UWI, Mona) to name a few. Marlon Daniel, the Musical Director and Conductor of Ensemble Du Monde along with Dominique Le Gendre, Trinidadian composer and many others will continue the discussion with moderators Edward Bethell and Nicolette Bethel from COB.

February 21 is reserved for students and budding musicians who will have the opportunity to listen to the full orchestra, first rehearsing, then playing a short, free concert for them. They will then be able to talk to the musicians. All 400 students invited from Government and private schools will receive a free lunch and a free souvenir “Chevalier de Saint George” T-Shirt designed by T-Rex.

Radio personality Christina “Chrissy Love” Thompson will narrate the video illustrated concert, dubbed “Before there was Mozart”. The name is symbolic, because there was a young boy from Guadeloupe, Joseph Boulogne, later known as the Chevalier de Saint George who, eventually known as the Black Mozart. He made his mark in France as a violinist and composer, a fencer and member of the French Assembly. His style has often been compared to that of Mozart. This is quite an achievement for a young man from the colonies and particularly at that time in history. He is in fact the centre piece of this Festival and his music will be featured in the Educational concert.