NCF hosts National Youth Symphony Orchestra on April 9

The Barbados National Youth Symphony Orchestra will take centre stage when the National Cultural Foundation’s Joyful, Joyful concert comes off on Sunday, April 9, 2023. The event, which will be held at the National Botanical Gardens at 2 p.m., will showcase a mixture of mostly young rising stars with a few experienced artistes as well.

The 100-member Barbados National Youth Symphony Orchestra’s last major performance was in Heroes Square at the Independence Day concert when they wooed thousands there and on the live stream. 

The orchestra comprises young, talented people, of which the youngest is six years old. The group is led by musical director Dr Joy Knight.

On Sunday, they will perform new pieces by local arrangers Nicholas Brancker, Tito Gittens, Trumpetboy Entertainment, Steve Sobers and Mark Husbands. The Sobers’ arrangement features songs by Joseph Niles and Sister Marshall and is entitled “It’s All About Gospel”.

Husbands’ arrangement of Amazing Grace will feature Carol George on vocals and Darien Bailey on keys. Ch’an will perform a special tribute to Carlynl Leacock. The other act performing with the orchestra is Maya Sobers.

Knight said members of the orchestra are set and ready to show off their skills with a repertoire inclusive of different genres of music. “We are excited and happy to be performing for Easter. It is always a pleasure to showcase the works of Caribbean composers and arrangers. We will be performing arrangements commissioned by NCF specifically for the Orchestra.

“Arrangements of our local music by Roger Gittens, Jomo Slusher, Steve Sobers, Mark Husbands, Dwain Gill, Tito Gittens, and music officer Kevin Moore will be performed. These concerts are always an enriching experience for the youth and have a positive impact as we endeavour to perform a variety of genres,” she said.

The concert will also showcase the 2022 NIFCA Stars backed by young musicians Kemal Blackman and Ronel Parris. The 2022 NIFCA Young MCs will emcee this segment.

The NIFCA Stars cast includes: Skyy Dowridge, Che Reign, Harmoni Haynes, Shaneka George, Joshua Osbourne, Kenola Greenidge, Jasiah Moore and Dondria Forde.

NCF Cultural Officer, Music Organisations Aisha Butcher promises an entertaining event which showcases talented youth from communities across Barbados. “‘Joyful, Joyful’ will be a mesmerising afternoon of music and a huge celebration of youth, talent, and community. In the weeks leading up to the concert, everyone involved has worked extremely hard and is prepared to give it their all on concert day. You will feel renewed, refreshed and beam with pride once you’ve heard and seen it all from our young people on stage,” Butcher said. (PR)