Music

For this the 3rd year, Anguilla will host the Annual Tranquility Jazz Festival. This year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than the years before. The Festival is once again being produced by BET Event Productions and the Anguilla Tourist Board with the premier sponsors being the Anguilla Social Security Board and the National Bank of Anguilla Ltd; silver sponsors Pyrat Rum and Temenos/St. Regis, supporting sponsors Avis/Apex, Paradise Cove Resort, the host hotel CusinArt Resort and Spa and the official airline American Airlines/American Eagle.

Members of the public in Anguilla are to be treated with a grand concert entitled The Easter Spirit in the April Evening by the Senior Choir of St. Mary’s Anglican Church on Sunday April 24, commencing at 4.30 p.m.

Famous Jazz Musician, Ravi Coltrane, was in Anguilla this week and on Wednesday conducted a workshop. Students from the general music class of Forms 1 and 2 of the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School Campus B, together with students who are in the choirs or bands from Campus A, were in attendance at the Teachers’ Resource Centre. Also present were teachers of music, professional musicians and others interested in music.

A well-organised and delivered variety concert staged by the Soroptimist Club of Anguilla, with the support of a number of groups and individuals, brought much delight to a large and appreciative audience on April 9.

BET Jazz in conjunction with the Anguilla Tourist Board is increasing efforts toward not only promoting Tranquility Jazz Festival 2005within the local market, but with a view to further deepen the understanding of the power of different forms of music (in particular jazz) and how it can have positive influence on the lives of young people. This year BET Jazz has committed to introducing and sponsoring a Music Workshop for the Music Department at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School.

The St. Augustine’s Chorale climaxed the religious observance of Easter with a thrilling presentation entitled “He’s Alive” on Sunday March 27 at the Anglican Church at East End.

Anguilla’s internationally-known reggae composer, singer and musician, Bankie Banx, has described his annual Moonsplash festival as a world class performance. He is elated that the show attracts Grammy Award artistes, other leading performers and scores of visitors to the island thus contributing significantly to the tourism industry.
He said his just-ended 15th Annual Moonsplash Music Festival was the biggest so far and cost him around US$86,000. He was particularly grateful to the National Bank of Anguilla for its sponsorship as well as Coors Light, Benjamin’s Group of Companies and others.

Performers from Nashville, Tennessee headed by well-known Billy Ray Cyrus, together with Anguillian artistes, produced two popular concerts last weekend for the first Country Music Festival in Anguilla. Funds raised are towards the Anguilla Tennis Academy and educational projects on the island.

Old Year’s Day brought a new experience for three violin enthusiasts who are also student flautists at Morlens Music Studio in Sandy Hill.

The 45-piece Concert Band of the University of the Virgin Islands is to perform in Anguilla late next week, just days before the observance of Anguilla Day. Professor Austin A. Venzen, Area Coordinator for the Music Department and Band Director, was here for a few days finalising arrangements for the concert.

More than eighty students of all ages in Anguilla have been entered as candidates for the examination of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London. Here to conduct the examination over a four-day period is William Bruce who arrived on the island on Wednesday, April 28.

The Fourth Annual Anguilla Jazz Festival sponsored by Frangipani Beach Club at Meads Bay, Anguilla, has been given top marks by a number of persons who were among the large audience.

A Musical Experience of the Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the 15 islands of the St. Croix-based North Caribbean Conference was held in Barbados from April 17-21.

The Easter Experience presented by the St Augustine’s Chorale was much appreciated by all who attended the performances. It was directed by Lennox Vanterpool and included a choir of thirty with accompanists on piano, organ, flute, drum and clarinet, all performing to a high standard.

The Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee in conjunction with the Calypso Committee will be staging a Calypso Show on the issue of Constitutional and Electoral Reform on or about Anguilla Day 2003.

The 3rd Annual Jazz Festival held at Shoal Bay Beach on March 14 and at Frangipani Beach Resort on March 15 was attended by a large number of visitors, Anguillians and other residents. The weekend functions provided two evenings of well-appreciated and enjoyable entertainment which attracted tourists from various hotels on the island, many of whom are fans of jazz music at its best.

Minnesota-born Jazz Vocalist Michelle Marie teamed up with four Anguillians on Sunday evening, March 2, to present an evening of special entertainment at Cocoloba Beach Resort.

Moonsplash, a major musical event in Anguilla now in its 13th year, by the island’s internationally-recognised reggae singer and guitarist, Bankie Banx, will get underway next week at his Dune Preserve retreat on Rendezvous Beach.

Come March 14 and 15, 2003, Anguillians, visitors and other persons will be entertained for the third official season at the Anguilla Jazz Festival now being promoted and managed by Valentin Davis and his long-time friend and world top-rated steel pan player, St. Martener Neville York.

The Launch of Tranquility Jazz Festival has been enhanced by the contribution of US$5,000.00 from the Social Security Board. The funds, which will be used to help defray travel and production costs associated with the Launch, were presented to Chairman of the Tranquility Jazz Festival Committee, Mr Fitzroy Tomlinson in a brief handing-over ceremony at the offices of the Anguilla Social Security Board.