If a coin had dropped on the floor of the capacity-filled St. Augustine’s Anglican Church on Tuesday evening, it might have been possible for the mass audience to hear it as they waited, with bated breath and rapt attention, for the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School’s musicians to begin their enthralling concert. When it quickly began on time, and after each short and well-performed piece, applause after applause went up to the roof. In the finale, there was a well-deserved standing ovation for the talented musicians.
Music Teacher and Conductor, Mr. Lennox Vanterpool, who, along with other colleagues, arranged the delightful two-hour event, spoke to the audience about its composition. He explained that the event was a presentation of the Music Department of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School involving the ALHCS Concert Band and the ALHCS Jazz Ensemble in Sound Review 2016. The Jazz Ensemble was being introduced for the first time. He was grateful to a number of generous sponsors who had contributed to the musical camp, over the summer holiday season, at which the school’s musicians practised for their annual presentation just before the re-opening of the school.
The various musical pieces were presented both in groups and solos, providing an enjoyable variety and innovation. The musicians were figures of excellence even in the pose with which they held their varied wind instruments – let alone the eloquence and beauty with which they delivered their stunning performances. Their delivery simply conjured up feelings of pride and admiration, among the appreciative audience for the young musicians. Certainly, mentored by their tutors and, acting on their own love for music, they applied themselves to something positive, passionate and useful in their development.
There were two appearances by the ALHCS Concert Band – at the beginning and the end. At the start, the musicians played such pieces as Captain America March, Hello, The Phantom of the Opera, Let it Go, Thriller, Summertime and Happy.
During the intermission, a group of students, who participated in a University of the Virgin Islands Band Camp, performed such pieces as O Happy Day and Rule Britannia.
Next, were the musicians of the ALHCS Jazz Ensemble. They played Freddie Freeloader, What I Did For Love, The Way We Were, All Blues, Humanism, and Walk The Dinosaur.
For their second performance, the ALCHS Concert Band played Mission: Impossible Theme, Old Time Religion (Traditional), Blues Idol, The Tempest, Jump In the Line and the Swahili Folk Hymn – Bwana Awabariki (interpreted May God Bless You).
It was a very impressive and inspiring occasion. The conductor, Mr. Lennox Vanterpool, still composing himself from the hype of the excitement of the highly-acclaimed presentation, managed to speak to The Anguillian. “We are developing youth through music education. That is a line from the Morlen’s School (his music school) but it is applicable anywhere,” he told the newspaper. “We know about the challenges we have been having in Anguilla regarding the behaviour of the youth – and all kinds of social scourges. We are trying to keep on track those young people who haven’t strayed, and to redeem some who have been slightly off-track. We are trying to put something out there so that the public can see this is what Anguilla’s youth are capable of.
“We have a wealth of musical talent and it is the job of schools to develop that talent and to showcase it. That is what we are trying to do.”
