The Cayman National Choir and Orchestra took the audience on a musical odyssey during their concert, ‘Caribbean Blue’, held at Harquail Theatre on Friday night, 7 June.
The resident company of the Harquail Theatre showcased 14 pieces inspired by the Cayman Islands with a rhythmic and upbeat Caribbean flair.
Audience members were foot-tapping, smiling, and rocking from side to side as the choir of 36 singers and the 30-piece orchestra presented melodies from jazz and rock and roll, musical theatre and easy listening, dramatic crescendos and choral harmonies.
The line-up of songs included ‘Blue Skies,’ ‘Come Rain or Come Shine,’ ‘Caribbean Calypso,’ ‘Blue Moon,’ Caribbean Cruise,’ ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ and the grand finale piece, ‘Blue Suede Shoes’.
“I absolutely loved performing for the full house at Harquail,” Melody Gifford, choir conductor, and choral music director at Cayman International School, told the Cayman Compass.
“It is apparent that music and the performing arts are a very important part of Caymanian culture. It is very exciting to be able to partner with the National Cultural Foundation to put on concerts like this and also very special that our governor was in attendance at Friday’s concert,” Gifford said.
Joining forces with the orchestra is “always really rewarding,” Gifford added, noting that for this concert, they didn’t just sing with the whole orchestra, but with various combinations of instruments on several different pieces.
The orchestra, a mix of more-experienced professionals with some carefully selected students, was conducted by Alina Makhina, who told the Compass, “It was a brilliant way to finish the [Cayman National Orchestra] year and season.
“For many students this was their last concert as they will be moving onto universities in September, so there will be some new faces at the next concert. We really enjoyed preparing for the concert. It was quite a turnaround since our March performance, but we were keen to get the exciting programme out to the audience.”
Among the night’s performers was cabaret artist Caryn Caffarelli, who was featured on two pieces. The professional singer from Chicago is no stranger to Cayman audiences, as she has previously performed at the Harquail Theatre with Quintessential Movement Studio, and supported Jasmine through Voices for Hospices.
Choir conductor Gifford said of working with Caffarelli, “We were thrilled to collaborate with Caryn! She has such a gorgeous voice; she is a true professional and she is absolutely delightful to work with.”
Though the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ appeared to be an audience favourite, Makhina noted that “a big accomplishment was the successful performance of ‘Calypso,’ which is a particularly challenging upbeat piece of music, and the orchestra really showed what they are capable of in that one – so proud of them!”
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