The University Singers perform at This Joyful Eastertide at the University Chapel, Mona, on Sunday. - photos by Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
For years, perhaps decades, the University Singers had a problem with talent. There was too much of it. More precisely, the group contained too many outstanding singers who deserved to be showcased individually in its month-long annual season. But because of the structure of the university calendar and end-of-year exams specifically, the season couldn't be shifted or extended from the May-June slot.
Happily, a couple of years ago, a solution was found - give the soloists an annual concert of their own. This year's concert was held at the University Chapel, Mona, on Sunday. Titled This Joyful Eastertide, the presentation was further described as "a programme of vocal sacred music featuring past and present soloists of the University Singers".
The soloists all shone. If the concert had been a 'Singing with the Stars'-type competition, the judges would have awarded nines and 10s in all categories.
Those categories would probably have included diction, emotion, phrasing, tone, body language, voice flexibility and overall impact. It's unlikely that the large audience consciously used specific criteria to judge the performances - though there were some professional musicians present who might have done so - but the audience response was positive throughout and at the end many gave standing ovations.
The emcee, Noel Dexter, the former long-serving conductor and current voice coach of the University Singers, said that past members were "all over the place", in Jamaica and abroad. Stating "we're proud of them all", he gave a little detail about the two who were special guests.
Christine McDonald Nevers (mezzo-soprano), he said, was now the director of the Jamaican Folk Singers, and Rory Frankson (baritone), was "a big singer on the north coast". Songs by these two constituted all but one of the items in part two of the two-hour-long programme.
Murphey Osbourne singing 'Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect' Peace.
McDonald Nevers sang I Know That my Redeemer Liveth (Handel), I Believe, My Lawd What a Mawnin and Everytime I Feel the Spirit. Frankson sang Panis Angelicus (Franck), The Holy City (Weatherly) and Brodsky's I'll Walk With God.
Part One began with the full choir singing two songs, the lively This Joyful Eastertide, a traditional hymn, and Adoramus Te Christe (T. Dubois), a more solemn, quieter piece. The group returned twice for the first half, midway with Salvation is Created (P. Tschenokoff) and at the end with He Was Crucified.
Franklin Halliburton, who wrote the words and music for He Was Crucified, which tells the story of the crucifixion, was the conductor for the evening. Together with Djenne Greaves, he also sang one of the most loudly applauded items of the show, Handel's Praise Ye.
Other singers
Other paired singers who had the advantage of being able to dialogue in song with each other, and so make the presentation dramatic, were Yasine Gray and Shawna Kay James (with The Lord is My Light and My Salvation), Stacy Adams and Donna-Marie Rostant (Give Thanks Unto God), and Stephan Sinclair and Johann Williamson (Everytime I Feel the Spirit).
Jhana Williams, who earlier Sunday had appeared onstage at the Little Theatre with the NDTC Singers, radiated as much energy as any two performers as she sang (while dancing on spot) the spiritual His Name's So Sweet, and she also was applauded and cheered loudly.
Other soloists in Part One were Roy Thompson (Love Ye The Lord), Monique Solely (Open the Gates of the Temple), Murphey Osbourne (Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace), Warren Thompson (There is a Green Hill Far Away), Althea McKenzie (Agnus Dei), Marcelle Thomas (O Praise The Lord), Carolyn Reid-Cameron (God and God Alone), Charles Moore (Me Alone), and Rochelle Brooks (Ride on Jesus).
With their characteristic full, rich sound, the University Singers closed the concert proclaiming Hallelujah (Beethoven).
The exclamation of praise and wonder might have been echoed by the audience. Such was the quality of the presentations by the soloists, every one could seriously consider full time singing.
Like Dexter, Jamaica is proud of the University Singers.
Monique Sloley performs with gusto at This Joyful Eastertide.