- Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Jessica Yap performing a violin solo at the East Queen Street Baptist Church, Kingston on Sunday.
Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
VOICE AND instrument combined at the East Queen Street Baptist Church on Sunday for a Musical Extravaganza as strong as the church's red brick walls, yet as elegant as the deep walnut finish on its wooden interior.
Under the patronage of Her Excellency Lady Ivy Cooke and chaired by Professor Maureen Warner-Lewis, the concert presented the talents of the East Queen Street church, downtown Kingston, and their invited guests to good effect.
And for a good cause as well, as music for mind and soul raised money for outreach projects, including the church's literacy programmes, home for the elderly, counseling service, dressmaking and home management course and Boys Brigade.
A LITTLE HUMOUR
It was an evening when the very young Jessica Yapp on violin, accompanied by her mother on piano, as well as Samantha Strachan singing Wind Beneath My Wings and young adults such as tenor Damion Scott who brought the house down with The Lord Is My Light gave hope for the future.
Warner-Lewis reminded the many present that the performances by the young people were things to keep in mind, with all the negatives around.
And there was humour as well, as Dry Bones by the Men's Fraternal was dedicated on the spur of the moment to a male member of the church who was ill and not expected to be present, but turned up at the concert.
The first section of the programme was coached along by the hostess, while the second was allowed to run largely uninterrupted. The individual performers, with the exception of Samantha Strachan, did two pieces each, with the senior choir starting off the evening with Sing Unto The Lord and the Combined Choir closing with Richard Smallwood's Total Praise.
Eyes were lifted up from the nave of the church unto the elevated position occupied by the Senior Choir as they opened the programme.
The guests, beginning with soprano Lucette Cargill, performed from the floor of the church, her voice not really needing the amplification afforded by the microphone. From there it was a swoop to the bass of Desmond Moulton, who rumbled out Draw Near All Ye People.
"When you see the size of the violinist, you will realise that prodigies occur not only in foreign countries but also in ours," Warner-Lewis said, and indeed the microphone had to be adjusted to almost half its previous height for Jessica Yapp.
She played Salut D'Amor to a very attentive audience, at times utilising the bow in what appeared to be almost languorous, full-length sweeps, before closing to wild applause. Noting that Jessica's mother accompanied her on piano, Warner-Lewis said "guess what that says for parental guidance and support?"
ASTOUNDED
Lucette Cargill returned for Climb Every Mountain, her voice taking the incline to end on a high 'dream' somewhere above Mount Rosser in St. Ann. "Again we have been astounded," Warner-Lewis said.
Before playing, saxophonist Warren Harris said that more than honoring God in voice, all should honour him in way of life.
The sun had gone down by the time Damion Scott was poised on the pulpit below the Senior Choir, to do The Lord Is My Light. Accompanied by organist James Smith, Scott's voice swelled, carried and struck home, his last, long 'afraid' being almost drowned out.
"What can I say? The home boy has come very good!" Warner-Lewis said, to which there was even more applause.
The Youth Choir started off the second segment of the programme with Lord You Are My Light, giving way to Samantha Strachan with Wind Beneath My Wings. The sight of the small figure was enough to bring applause; her powerful voice and range, ending on an ascending 'fly, fly, fly away' brought many to their feet in a standing ovation.
The Junior Choir, Harris again withWonderful World and Desmond Moulton returning with Go Down Moses preceded a happy Millionaires Hoe Down by Jessica Yapp, which ended in a final flurry to rapturous applause.
Dry Bones preceded another rousing sting by Scott on O Magnify The Lord and the Senior Choir, with In Christ Alone, a four-song performance by the Jamaica Vocal Ensemble and then Total Praise from the Combined Choir saw eyes returning on high to see the East Queen Street Baptist's Musical Extravaganza home.
