bouquet of flowers
With the Second Annual Voice Training Workshop of their Youth Choirs and other persons, the three Anglican Churches in Anguilla are off to having a cadre of trained and talented singers in the making for their various services and programmes.
The latest training workshop, of one week duration, was conducted by Mrs Tonya Richardson, a trained singer, who also ran the first training session last year. Mrs Richardson, owner/manager of Tuneful Studios, has worked with professional artistes and choirs in the Caribbean and further afield. The training was for the youth singers of St Mary’s Parish in The Valley with St Augustine’s, (East End) and St Andrew’s (Island Harbour).
In welcoming the audience to the short concert at St Mary’s, at the conclusion of the workshop on Friday, August 22, the Right Reverend Errol Brooks thanked Mrs Richardson and all who were involved in the training. The others included Rev Samuel Knight, organist; Mrs Margaret Augustus, Mrs Rosena Brooks, as well as some persons who gave assistance.
The main facilitator, Mrs Richardson – who lives in Anguilla with her Anguillian husband and children – also spoke. “I just want to say how much I have enjoyed being a part of the Second Singing Workshop. Music is something that is near and dear to my heart,” she stated. “It has always been a part of my life and I just want to thank God for the opportunity to work with your children.
“The week has been wonderful. They have been giving stellar performances from the beginning to the end, and I know you are going to enjoy what they have been working hard at. We tried to pack everything we had into five days, and I hope you will appreciate what they have done.”
Among other things, Mrs Richardson instructed the children in the control of breathing to help produce sweeter sound from their vocal chords; how to pronounce words correctly; how to use time and pitch to colour their voices; and how to be expressive in their singing.
The parents of the children, and other members of the three Anglican congregations, were treated to some excellent singing by the highly-motivated young singers during the concert that climaxed the workshop.
