News

RECENT EVENTS

JANUARY 2007: CELEBRITY BENEFIT PIANO RECITAL

Professor Michail Voskresensky of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory thrilled the audience in the National Cultural Centre with a dazzling and passionate performance of Beethovens ‘Appassionata’ Sonata and the Chopin ‘Preludes’. Professor Voskresensky, many of whose students have won gold medals in international piano competitions, also gave two memorable masterclasses. It is hoped that Professor Voskresensky will return in January 2008 for the School’s 20th Anniversary Celebrity Recital.

MARCH-APRIL 2007: ‘CARIBBEAN VILLAGE’ FOR CRICKET

The National Youth Choir contributed to the entertainment being offered to St Lucia’s World Cup Cricket hotel guests by presenting a 90-minute production of songs from around the islands entitled ‘Caribbean Village’. The show which took a lively and humorous look at aspects of life in a typical Caribbean Village was presented in a number of large hotels, and contributed significantly to the choir’s fund-raising efforts. In July this year the choir will be visiting Dominica to give two concerts.

MAY 2007: 3-2-1 JAZZ RAFFLE

The St Lucia School of Music’s ‘3-2-1’ 2007 Jazz Raffle came to a close on Sunday 13 May at Pigeon Island, amidst the excitement generated by Natalie Cole’s stunning closing set, with the drawing at the School’s booth of this year’s three winning tickets.

Winning prizes of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 respectively, were George Charlemagne with ticket number 3878, John Lorde with ticket numbers 1671, and Simone Alexander, with ticket number 3192.

The Jazz Raffle has become a major St Lucia School of Music fund-raiser, and raffle supporters over the years have benefited by winning two Honda cars, and in more recent times sizeable cash-back prizes. The Jazz Raffle is part of the School’s ongoing fund-raising efforts to build a much-needed extension to its Tapion premises.

PAST EVENTS

December 2005: Fundraising Concert by Vladimir Ashkenazy

In December 2005 the School ended the year on a high note when the world famous conductor and pianist, Vladimir Ashkenazy performed with his son Dimitri, in a two-piano programme of music by Schubert, Schumann and Ravel. Apart from a most memorable evening’s music, the concert, given by the Askenazys to help raise funds for the School, proved to be the most successful fund-raising concert in the school’s eighteen year history! The School is deeply grateful to the Ashkenazys for their generosity and consideration.

February 2006: Staff Recital

February saw the two-piano idea catching on with an evening of music by Rachmaninov performed with authenticity and finesse by two of the School’s piano tutors, Russian-born Irina Krasnyanskya and Jean-Fabien Schneider. This Franco-Russian duo also delighted a large National Cultural Centre audience at the beginning of March with a concert of Romantic Piano Music by Chopin, Liszt and Schubert.

March 2006: Folk Workshop

Well-known Jamaican music educator, composer, arranger, folk drummer and jazz pianist, Ms Marjorie Whylie, was Artist-in-Residence at the School 27 February - 3 March, thanks to support from the UWI School of Continuing Studies. Ms Whylie worked on developing Caribbean folk repertoire with the St. Lucia National Youth Choir, but also held a drumming workshop for music teachers, an open folk workshop for adult choirs, and held planning meetings with SLSM staff.

ANNUAL JAZZ RAFFLE

The St. Lucia School of Music is again this year raising funds by holding a ‘5-4-5’ Raffle on ($5,000 first prize for a $5.00 ticket) to be drawn on 14th May 2006 at Pigeon Island as the curtain comes down on this year’s international jazz festival ‘St. Lucia Jazz’. Second and third prizes are $3,000 and $1,000 respectively. The Jazz raffle has become an annual event and is the School’s major fundraising activity. The proceeds from previous raffles have helped build a scholarship fund for musically gifted children from needy homes. This year’s proceeds will go towards a much-needed School Building extension.

2006 ABRSM PRACTICAL EXAMS

External examinations with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music were held at the school on 23, 24 March 2006. A total of 50 students were examined in Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Recorder and Singing. Candidates were entered by the School of music’s Castries and Vieux-Fort Centres and by three private teachers. Though this year’s marks were in general lower than expected, the overall pass rate remained high at 96%.