By Nashauna Drummond, Staff ReporterTHE 20TH anniversary of the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC) was marked by a recital at the residence of the British High Commissioner, Trafalgar House, last Friday.
Musical Xaymaca created the perfect ambience for guests to relax out of the showers that poured down outside. The sounds of the recorder, piano and Cello resonated off the walls of Trafalgar great house as guests mingled enjoying the warmth of being inside.
British High Commissioner Peter Mathers noted that the evening was in tribute to the KRC but also a time to highlight what they are doing. Some of their projects were briefly outlined by chairman, Maurice Facey. He noted some of the difficulties they have faced, notably the increase in the city's population which has made it difficult to keep the city in 'tip top' condition.
However, with great optimism, he added that the organisation has received a new thrust from a committee comprising government agencies and private sector organisations. With this thrust, their dream of making Kingston the most attractive, beautiful capital in the Caribbean, should be realised.
Guests were given a treat with a tribute to Jamaican composer Samuel Felsted by a performance of his 1973 oratorio 'Jonah' by tenor, Paul Williamson. Williamson's expressive and impressive voice was enough to incite goose pimples as he sang of Jonah's acknowledgement of God. He was followed by counter-tenor, Curtis McDonald, whose voice gave life to notes compiled decades ago by the great Mozart.
These performances made the evening for most of the guests who never regretted braving the weather for such a sterling performance.
Among those who shut out the rain and enjoyed the recital were: executive director of KRC, Morin Seymour; Dr. Oswald Harding and wife, Marigold; Japanese Ambassador Isao Otsuka; German Ambassador Christian Hausmann, and wife, Harriet Huber; Chinese Ambassador, Zhao Zhenyu and wife Wang Xiaoju; French Ambassador Pierre-Antoine Berniard; Spanish Ambassador, Rafael Jover Figueroa and wife, Maria Deloris; Trinidadian High Commissioner, Dennis Francis; Russian Ambassador, Edward Malayan; Honorary Consul of Iceland, Robert MacMillian; Aubyn Hill, NCB Managing Director, and wife Tamara; and William Lampert and wife Anna Kaiser.
