Music Department

The Junior Choir, 1963

Presentation College, in 1998, can boast of a vibrant Music Department, where young men and women are afforded the opportunity to pursue and develop their musical, artistic and
aesthetic interests and abilities. It is housed in an adequate, two-room structure on the school's compound and is always alive with activity, be it music, dance, drama or just fellowship. Choir members and the musically inclined find a peaceful haven there and feet are constantly directed towards the music room at every spare moment. What is it that brings them here? It is certainly the experience of "Music" in the Department - the music of God's presence that is always there among them as they pray and enjoy fellowship, the music of peace and love as they share each other's joys and pain and grow together in friendship, the music of the masters like Handel, Chopin, Strauss, Rudder and Kitchener; as they develop their God given gifts and talents, - the music of life as they learn the art of living in keeping with God's plan.

Good things happen in this Department, which continues to achieve great heights and to produce competent musicians and musically literate students. The Department has been under the directorship of Anthony Lee Mack since 1974 when he took over from Sian Carlin who produced the very successful musical "Aqua Rock" in 1973. In 1980 Mr. Lee Mack was joined in the Department by Cynthia Lee Mack and under their joint leadership the Department has grown from strength to strength.

The Choir, 1966

The formation of the Mixed Choir, then called the Prescon Choir way back in 1976 marked the beginning of an outstanding musical history. At that time the Choir consisted
exclusively of students of Presentation College and St. Joseph's Convent, San Fernando. This combination saw the commencement of annual Christmas concerts and excellent achievements in the National Music Festivals. The Choir made a name for itself in the community and was very soon in great demand to perform at various functions.

PRODUCTIONS:

• 1977 - The Secret of Christmas
• 1978 - A Night of Miracles
• 1980 - Joy to the World
  
• 1981 - Rock Nativity(lst)
  
• 1982 - Treasure Island
  
• 1983 - Scrooge
  
• 1984 - Christmas with We Teens
  
• 1985 - Follow the Star(1st)
  
• 1986 - The Pied Piper of Hamelin
  
• 1987 - Rock Nativity(2nd)
  
• 1988 - Merry Christmas with love 1 HMS Pinafore(1st)
  
• 1989 - Ulysees
  
• 1990 - Follow the Star (15th)
  
• 1991-92 - Gypsy Baron (most ambitious production)
  
• 1993 & 94 - Waltz without End(Chopin)
  
• 1995 - Blossom Time (Shcubert)
  
• 1996 - Rock Nativity(3rd)
  
• 1997&98 - Holy Boy and HMS Pinafore(2nd)
  

The Presentation College Choirs, Junior, Senior and Mixed, have always been noted for the production of music of the highest calibre, and those who have experienced the above productions have attested to their "World Class" quality (as our Principal describes them), over the years. To those students, past and present, teachers and parents who were a part of or have contributed in any way, congratulations and thanks to you on this 50th Anniversary year.

The Choir, 1968

The Music Festival has always had a magnetic force on the students. "Pres Men' just love competition! They want to 'beat' everybody, they just want to "come first"! As a result, Presentation College has been entering Choirs, soloists, duets, trios and musical ensembles through the years. Around Music Festival time, the Music Room is continually alive with music practices, be it vocal or instrumental. The great success of our musical endeavours at the Music Festival can be certified by the many trophies won over the years: The James Bryan Cup, the Judge Russel Cup, Joy Spence Cup, Trinidad Broadcasting Cup, Mother Bernard Shield, Raphael Hosein trophy and to crown it all, the Prime Minister's Trophy for the Most Outstanding Choir in the Festival, have all adorned our trophy cupboard along the years. Again thanks and congratulations to past and present students and teachers for these achievements.

We in the Music Department hold our national instrument in high esteem even though at this time a steel band is non existent at our school. However, this was not always the case as at one time we were the proud owners of a resident band on our school compound. In 1979, our steelband, under the direction of Lennox Bobby Mohammed, a past student, and Dave Achong, won the South Junior Panorama. Later, training continued under Kelvin Eccles and the band participated in further Junior Panoramas, pan festivals and performed at school functions. We recall that in 1983, Pres Steel Orchestra was the only school steel band on the road for Carnival in San Fernando. We also recall the pleasant memory of our Principal, helping to maneuver the pans down Lord Street and on the road for Carnival. Gone are those golden days! Today, the band is no more and this is due to wear and tear on the pans and the lack of funds for replacement and maintenance. The few remaining pans were loaned to Naparima Girls who at that time introduced pan at their school. Efforts to revive our band have so far been unsuccessful due to lack of equipment and funds. An effort was made for our students to avail themselves of an offer to use the Lee Chong's pan yard on the invitation of Mr. Leroy Lee Chong. Even though this was started, the plans eventually had to be abandoned due to the late hours of tutoring. The bottom line is, we need to have instruments at school and to reclaim the pan shed, especially constructed for this purpose. We therefore, appeal to our past students, benefactors and friends to assist us in the revival of the steel band. We are only a phone call away!

Mrs. Maureen Hosein, has accompanied the Choir on piano for most of our productions listed above and at Prize Day. She is a very competent musician and is a very valuable member of the team in the music Department. Thank you, Maureen.

Mr. Anthony Lee Mack, has been though thick and thin and is a most valuable contributor in the Department. He has generously shared his musical talent with his students and has accompanied and arranged for the Choirs, at every musical, prize day, assembly, Mass and Music Festival. Thank you Tony!

Brother Tom, an accomplished pianist and musician. Before 1973, he took the Junior Choir for the first time to the Music Festival where they were very successful. He returned to the College and has arranged music for the orchestra and has also accompanied the Choir at some of our productions. We missed him for "Holy Boy" as ill health forced him to return home for treatment. We thank him, wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to his return to the Department. God speed, Brother!

Miss Lucyanna Moy Hing has also endeared herself to the Music Department and is a most reliable member of the Committee. She has served in many roles and can always be depended upon to execute her duties with great perfection. Thank you Lucy for such competence and devotion.

As it is impossible to write about everyone, we wish to thank collectively the following who have contributed in one way or other to our success: Bro. Andrew, Mrs. Sally Rochford, Mrs. Sam" Lambert, Mrs.Cheryl Greene, Mr. Mervyn Dick, Mr. Wilkinson Seetahal, Miss Jennifer Bansfield, Mr. Dexter Crawford, Mr. David Bissoon, Mrs. Sylvia Sawh, Mrs. Cintra Lucky, Mrs. Beverly GuideWilliains, Miss Sola Grant, Mrs. Mary Shand, Mr. Rolph Radhay, Mr. Errol Jaikaransingh, Mr. Michael Bachan, Mr. George McSween, Mrs. Carol Aimey, Mr. Lance Dowrich, Mrs. Irane Beddoe, Mrs. Margo Green-Narine, Mr. Seenath and the Office Staff.

Finally, we wish to thank Bro. Michael, our Principal and to commend him highly for his encouragement along the years. It is due, in part to his request for annual productions that we have continued to produce and it is due to his administrative style, that we have been allowed the freedom to grow and develop into a vibrant music faculty.

The Music Department has had its ups and downs over the years. While we have experienced success we have also suffered our losses. In the early days we started sharing the audio-visual room, as there was no music room. However, when the Junior Library was closed, the room which is presently the Art Room, was given over to the Music Department. It was small, but good use was made of it. Then one day, at the end of term we were told to vacate the premises. Our room was handed over to the Computer Department. We were a Department without a room once more! A new room was to be built for us. But that did not materialize until two years later. By some stroke of good luck, the original plan had to be changed from the "Mini, two by four one room",to the two rooms which we have at present. Praise God! We can now boast of a large air-conditioned music room and a smaller all purpose room. It is not the best music room in the world, but it is the best we have ever had and we are grateful for it. We can now boast of a wardrobe with many costumes which we add to and recycle every year for our productions. We have a sewing machine donated by Mrs. Gonzalves and through our fund raising ventures have acquired piano, organ, keyboard, stereo set, violins, a viola, iron and ironing board.

While we have made strides in the area of vocal and choral music, success in instrumental music has not been achieved mainly because of lack of funds to acquire instruments. Some years ago in an attempt to obtain instruments, letters were sent to various Embassies and firms. The only successful reply came from the German Embassy which donated a Cello. From the use of this instrument, Colin Maughn, now a past student, has become a very competent Cellist and has played at our productions and with the National Youth Orchestra. We thank the German Embassy.

We now have on Staff, Mrs. Sylvia Sawh who plays the piano and violin. She has undertaken to tutor the students in the violin and this has already begun to bear fruit. We thank you Sylvia for this input. There are a number of students who play the guitar, piano and trap set and these have also been making an input into our school functions. Our aim in the Music classes is to teach the rudiments of Music through Music theory and history, singing and the recorder. From as early as Form One our aim is to give them a taste for music, to whet their appetite for music and give them a good experience, so that those who are interested and talented may be stimulated to pursue further training. The Choirs and its activities are the only link with music after Form two.

Two of the "downs" in the 'Ups and downs' of the Music Department are (1) the difficulty to source girls from the Convent and (2) in more recent years, getting the boys to join the Choir.

Concerning point one, it was regrettable that girls from the St. Joseph's Convent found it increasingly difficult to join the Choir. Many saw this latter, as a blessing in disguise. Invitations had to be sent out to other girl schools and this mandated a change of the name "Prescon" to "Pres Mixed Choir". The blessing was that many more girls were given an opportunity to participate in the musical experience offered at 'Pres', an opportunity second to none in the Southland. The Choir has had girls from St. Joseph's Convent, Naparima Girls, ASJA Girls, Pleasantville Senior and Junior, Marabella Senior, Chaguanas Senior,Holy Faith Convent, Penal and St. Benedict's College.

On the 2nd point - getting boys to join the Choir - a few reasons come to mind. There was an increase in extra lessons and as a result, a corresponding decrease in the participation in extra curricular activities. A second reason was that some adults hold a negative view of the Choir, and expressed the view that students were "wasting too much time"! A third and more powerful reason, which is probably universal, is the stigma attached to boys singing as something effeminate. Where will the Pavarottis, Domingos and Carreras come from? This is indeed a very discouraging element in the Music Department and has contributed to our struggle to maintain our very high standards. To this end we urge our teachers and parents to look at the very positive things that are done by the Choir, the excellent music they produce the many sacrifices they make and the high calibre of representation they offer the College. We in the music Department love our school. We are proud of all our students, our cadets, our scouts, math olympiad winners, our football teams and all the various bodies in which our students participate. We therefore ask you to be proud of your Choirs too! Let us love each other! We would also like to document the passing of three of our young past members. The first is Larry Hodge, composer of our College Hymn. Claude Allum Christopher Lawrence and Debra AllenGopesingh, both past members of the Mixed Choirs. May they rest in peace.

Having just recently completed one of our most outstanding productions entitled, "Holy Boy" and "HMS Pinafore", the Department would like to register its heartiest congratulations to both Junior and Senior Choirs for a job well done. Congrats too, for the splendid singing for the Jubilee Mass. What an achievement! It was truly a great joy to hear the combined Choirs culminate in the Hallelujah Chorus. Your sacrifice, hard work and the many "buffs" you earned, have certainly paid dividends. You are very special to us in the music Department. We love you,. Keep on singing, making music and using your God given talents. Special mention must be made here of a few talented and dedicated students who have given much time and effort to the Choirs. We extend special thanks to Michael Zephyrine, Keith Teesdale, Kester Bailey, Marlon de Bique and Arthur Alexander.

If anyone were to ask us what we would wish for in the Music Department, we would say to our Principal, Staff and Students, "Please support us some more". They want you to see and hear them in action at something they can do well! They want you to be proud of their efforts and achievements. To all at 'Pres', our Principal, teachers, students, past and present, we in the Music Department extend congratulations and best wishes on this our Golden Jubilee. May our Department continue to flourish and produce Music to the Honour and glory of God.

Mrs. Cynthia. Lee Mack