Parliamentary Representative for Central Castries Richard Frederick has stated there is scope for young artistes to develop their craft.
Frederick at last week’s Junior Jazz & Arts Festival, Frederick told reporters that he was elated with the outcome of events that transformed the city into a mega arts and entertainment hub, which also included an Arts and the City component.
He said the Junior Jazz & Arts Festival has “basically mushroomed into an event, the scope of which is unknown.”
“This is a platform to exhibit the various talents of our people …and it is being telecast (streamlined) to 53 different countries around the world,” the Central Castries parliamentary representative noted.
Commenting on prospects for promoting young artistic talent in the community, Frederick stated: “We have decided, throughout the year, to have different events so that the young people can showcase their talent, and we earmark them as one of those that will find themselves on the stage for Junior Jazz, next year.”
Colin Weekes of Dove Productions and Events Management for the Junior Jazz festival, commended the young artistes for putting in months of hard work and preparations to fine tune their skills for the event.
Creators of a number of award-winning film productions inclusive of numerous documentaries, projects like the Caribbean Youth Film Festival and immersive online shows such as Island Ripple, Dove Production was the major producer of the event.
On the selection of artistes for the event, Weekes explained, “We had a pool of young people who were on from last year, and we thought it was a good opportunity for them to improve and to grace the stage again.”
He said, the organisers received several requests for prospective artistes, but “however, we did an early Star Search type of promotion (and) we opened it for young people who are basically, at home, and know they have talent to be given an opportunity to participate.”
Young talent was on display in a splendid and exuberant style. The artistes reveled in the spotlight, performing to their peers and the wider public.
The two-day showpiece (May 9 and 10) unfolded at Serenity Park , Castries with various young artistes and some up-and-coming potential stars in the making.
It is the second year in a row that the Junior Jazz and Arts Festival is making a splash and the stakeholders are evidently pleased with the turnout and outcome of events, thus far.
Presented through the collaboration of the Castries Constituency Council (CCC), the Department of Housing and Urban Renewal and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, the festival is set to bring the young people of Saint Lucia – from primary school age to young adults – to the forefront, in the areas of art, song and music.
It was music galore at Serenity Park, with students coming together to enjoy the sounds and thrills that were presented on stage.
After a string of performances from respective school groups and bands, the show got into the crux of the matter with some more seasoned and wider known young artistes in the act.
Notably, Micheal Fletcher and Band were in an element of their own as they delivered some ‘jazzy groove’ selections. The four-man band with Micheal on violin pulled all the strings melodiously as they stirred the afternoon crowd of young and adult patrons with a medley of rhythmic originals and instrumental tunes.
Tatiana and her crew impressed the crowd with their delivery of some popular cover songs.
In between performances, a combined steel-pan crew involving players from St Mary’s College (SMC) and Pantime Steel Orchestra entertained with some choice selections.
Winners from the Junior Jazz & Arts Festival’s online competition named Take The Stage, also performed at the event. Interested participants were requested to submit a short video of themselves performing a song of their choice.
The competition lasted three weeks, and followers of the Junior Jazz and Island Ripple Social Media Platforms were encouraged to vote for their favourite artiste.
Performers at the two-day event included;
Kristian, Melanie, Shyyid, Mata, Tatiana, Starseeds, Manasseh, Shadowz, Lisi Fle, Lolani, Maestro Gilchrist Band feat. Maleek, Micheal Fletcher and Band.
[R.A].