The champion choir pose with their trophy in front of the grotto at St Anthony’s, Petit Valley

It was late on the night of Friday, February 29 at Queen’s Hall and the St Anthony’s Senior Folk Choir was on stage singing their hearts out in an effort to be the champion under 20 singers folk choir of T&T. 

They performed two numbers, Evening Time, a work song and Bokuné a celebration folk song from Curaçao. They then had to wait and listen to the other competitors representing the South and Tobago.

To reach this milestone the choir had to win the North Preliminaries which took place at the same venue on the night of Monday, February 11, and since then they had to practice assiduously, for this championship meant that they would be competing against the winners of the different zones. A win here would designate you the champion under 20 folk choir of the country.

Needless to say, the North and Tobago choirs performed at their best and the competition was tough. Anyone could be the winner for they all produced magnificent performances which had the audience applauding enthusiastically.

It was now the adjudicator’s turn to make the decision. He thanked the choirs for the excellent evening’s entertainment and stressed the fact that a very important factor in the interpretation of folk songs is that the performers must be convincing with their story and it must look natural, “And so,” he ended, “the LN Blanche-Fraser Cup goes to the St Anthony’s Senior Folk Choir.”

Before he could finish his statement inside and out of Queen’s Hall erupted with clapping, shouts and screams of joy. The choir had finally won that cherished cup that had been eluding them for many a festival. They plan to retain it for ever!

On the morning of Sunday, March 2 after the 9.15 Mass the choir gave the congregation a taste of their melodic wares as testimony that they were the undisputed champions of T&T.

Congratulations go out to the St Anthony’s Senior Folk choir: a deserving reward for the hard work put in by the members, competently led by Linda Mc Collin.