The Nexus Choir in performance in Graz, Austria recently. - Contributed

The multi-medal winning Nexus Performing Arts Company will headline a group of performers for Mandeville's first cultural explosion on Sunday, August 3, at the Manchester High School auditorium.

The group recently returned from Austria with one gold for folklore; one silver for popular music and two bronze medals for spirituals and gospel, at the fifth World Choir Games held in Graz, Austria, July 9-19.

The slogan of the games was 'Singing together - brings nations together' and there were 441 choirs from 93 countries, comprising over 20,000 singers in attendance.

Captivating

Nexus gained popularity as after their first appearance were known as the 'liveliest choir' at the Olympics. During their performance, so captivating were the sounds of Jamaican music, even the judges ceased their deliberations to dance spontaneously to the rhythms.

Organiser of the trip to Graz was Austrian-born Rosina Christina Moder, who has lived in Jamaica since 1985. She told The Gleaner that in addition to the regular schedule of competition performances, Nexus also appeared at many encounter concerts all over the city. At each event, they received requests for encores from the general audiences and their fellow competitors. Some of the venues of these concerts included the main city square of Graz; the ancient towns of Riegersburg and Hallstadt, as well as concert halls.

Featured acts

On Saturday July 12, Nexus along with classical soprano Carline Waugh; jazz pianist Kathy Brown, accompanied by young Jamaican jazz bassist Alvis Reid and drummer Jeremy Ashbourne; popular duo 'Dre and KJ', and upcoming reggae band 'From the Deep', were the featured acts in the celebration of a Jamaica Day, held in Graz.

Moder told The Gleaner that the trip would not have been possible without the intervention on their behalf by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who made an appeal to the Culture Health Arts Science and Education (CHASE) Fund.

Grateful

She is also grateful for the donation of fabric for two costumes for each of the 45 members of the choir from Rosa Joseph of Pablo's; the city council of Graz, Scotiabank Jamaica Ltd, Tourwise Ltd, Devon House, T.Geddes Grant, Petals and Promises, Krystal Clear Productions and other individuals and corporations.

She is encouraging everyone to come to Mandeville on Sunday to hear Nexus. The event is being sponsored by Pablo's management team as a service to the comm-unity. It starts at 5:00 p.m. and will be free to the public.

For more information: call Hugh Douse: 868-0113 or Rosina Christina Moder: 925 4594/434 41212 or email: rcmmusic@cwjamaica.com

Rosina Moder proudly shows off two of the medals won by the Nexus Choir at the recent choir Olympics in Austria. - Contributed