- CONTRIBUTED
The Glenmuir Choir at the first Choir Olympics in Linz, Austria.
Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
AMONG THE many achievements that the Glenmuir High School is noted for is the development of its concert choir, which has ultimately become one of their most prized possessions.
Glenmuir, located in May Pen, Clarendon, has over the years been able to develop their singing ensemble into an award-winning performance choir.
Formed in 1984, it has maintained its focus on classical and modern gospel music, blending the traditional art forms and other Caribbean elements with folk themes.
According to the choir's director of music, Justin Leo Whyte, he actually started the Glenmuir Concert Choir and, despite his leaving Glenmuir,the school board retains his services as choir trainer and director.
The choir is 45 members strong and includes Glenmuir students from first to sixth form, as well as students from all three universities in Jamaica (the University of the West Indies, the University of Technology and the Northern Caribbean University).
Although dozens of persons usually audition for this prestigious choir each year, only a few are chosen.
"Each year, I accept students who have auditioned and are successful. Out of a number of 50 being auditioned, we may be able to take on 12 or 15," Mr. Whyte said.
However, if the unsuccessful students are persistent, they may just get their shot at being in the fold, as choir members who graduate from the school, usually move on to fill roles in other choirs.
"After they (the students) graduate, we feed other choirs. In one year, we had six or eight students joining the University Choir, which is usually about 28 strong, and they usually hold key positions," explained Mr. Whyte.
Other success stories of past Glenmuir Choir members include Faith Livingston (main soprano soloist) and Djenne Greaves (head drummer and bass singer), both members of the University Singers, and Ewan Simpson, who is currently leader of the In2Nation Band.
The high standard that is expected of the choir has been maintained in their performances.
This, Mr. Wyte said, stems from the choir's very foundation and dedication to hard work.
"When the choir was founded the mandate was that it should present classical music at a very exceptionally high standard and this mandate was given by Dr. S. H. Scott, then principal, who now resides in England," he said.
Therefore, training is very rigid, as students are given a classical base before expanding into other genres like jazz, pop, spiritual and other forms of music.
As Mr.-Whyte explains, "when students come in for the first year they undergo both theory and voice training. In theory, we train them up to grade five of the Royal School of London Music Examination, so they should now how to read music. We use a method called the John Curwen or Solpha Method, where the children learn the notes to istinguish between sounds."
Outside of performing at competitions and other events both locally and abroad, the Glenmuir High School Concert Choir has two notable appointments on its yearly calendar. They perform twice annually for the school's population, the first being at Glenmuir's prize-giving ceremony in December and the other at the annual graduation ceremony in June.
After this, the choir goes into training off campus, into boarding institutions across the island, among them UWI, as well as Shortwood and Churches teachers colleges. This training period lasts for two weeks and this is in preparation for the Christmas term, when 'Michaelmas' is held. At this event, the choir usually presents a major composition by one of the masters, like Mozart or Beethoven.
They usually present a concert season each year, which runs from the second week of December through to the second week of January, with their main show being the 'Gala Concert', held in May Pen at the St. Gabrielle's Anglican Church.
Support for the choir, Mr. Whyte says, comes via a partial donation from the school and a powerful parent support group, headed by Jeanette Shim-Hue and supervised by Dahlia Bartley, the principal's liaison officer.
Over the years, the Glenmuir High School Concert Choir has made an impressive haul of 200 gold and silver medals in the annual Jamaica Festival of the Performing Arts, organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). They have also been the proud recipient of the RJR trophy for the Best Classical Music Choir. The group has also won the Music Mart Shield for Most Outstanding School Choir.
Adding to their many achievements and distinguished performances, the Glenmuir High School Concert Choir recently completed a double CD entitled Jubilate Beo, in celebration of their 18 years in music.
According to Mr. Whyte, the compilation boasts 36 songs, comprising classical, semi-classical, folk and gospel music, and was produced by Stage One Records.
"It also features Carole Reid, one of Jamaica's leading soprano soloists," he said.
In July 2002, the choir represented the Caribbean region at the Shrewsbury International Music Festival in England, where they were presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by the Mayor of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, Councillor Lieutenant Colonel George Richey.
In 1984, the choir toured parts of the United States and was given the key to the City of Cincinnati by the Lord Mayor. In 1998, they participated in an international music festival, held in Germany, winning two trophies and cash awards for placing second in one category and in July 2000 they participated in the first ever Choir Olympics in Linz, Austria, where over 300 choirs competed. They won one silver and two bronze medals.
