Michael Reckord, Contributor

Elinor D'Melon plays the violin during Immaculate High School in concert at Ward Theatre on Saturday, November 26, 2006. - photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Some 150 members of the Immaculate Conception High School Performing Arts Department attracted a full house for their concert at Ward Theatre on Sunday.

At the end of the two-and-a-half-hour-long show, the audience gave the performers - all female except, mysteriously, for one small boy - a well-deserved standing ovation.

The khaki-clad boy played with the 65-strong ICHS Symphony Orchestra, perhaps Jamaica's largest instrumental ensemble. It was only one of the many groups from the department on stage. Others were the steel band, the dance club, the drama club and the glee club.

All combined to present a very varied concert, which included ring games, poetry dramatisations, solo song and instrumental presentations and dances. The music ranged from folk to popular, classical and religious.

Delighted

The board of directors of the Ward Theatre Foundation, co-presenters along with the ICHS of the concert, were delighted with both the quality of the performances and the fact that the theatre was full.

At the intermission, The Gleaner was invited to the board room to chat with the directors present - including Chairman Emeritus Wycliffe Bennett, Chairperson Ruby Martin, vice-chairperson Doreen Thompson, Executive Chairman/Treasurer Vivian Crawford, and Mrs. Nicola Croswell-Mair, Mrs. Beverley Josephs and Mr. Cedric McDonald.

The reporter was told that the concert was one in a series of functions planned to raise money to restore the deteriorating theatre. One director spoke of the uniqueness of the theatre and the board's determination to save it from ruin.

Asked about the challenges of combining school work with rehearsals that are faced by the performing students, many of whom are taking crucial examinations this year, one father declared succinctly, "Music expands the brain."

The concert was given the frame of an activity period, with two teachers (Sonia Lee and Aba Polson) doing a Miss Lou-style narration to link the various acts. There were 20 items in all, with all being at least enjoyable.

Violin solo

Among the outstanding ones in part one were a violin solo by a prep school student, Elinor D'Melon; a dramatisation of Louise Bennet's poem 'Roas' Turkey' by the Drama Club; Travene Smallwood's rendition of 'Memory' from Cats and the Dance Club's 'Ska Crazy'.

In Part 2, the Glee Club's many items, including 'The Rose', and 'Majesty', pleased the audience tremendously. But the highpoint of the concert was the Symphony Orchestra's five items. Conducted joyfully by Steven Woodham, they played 'Ceremonial Procession' (R. Washburn), 'Over the Rainbow' from The Wizard of Oz (dedicated to Mr. Wycliffe Bennett), 'Pirates of the Caribbean (K. Badelt), 'River Songs' (Traditional) and 'Serengeti Dreams' (R. Smith), all exciting pieces.

One of the items was Maya Angelou's poem 'Phenomenal Woman'. Judging by their efforts Sunday night, many of the performers could justly claim the title.

Left: Members of the steel band perfom at Immaculate High School in concert.   Right: The Glee Club performs a folk song.