By Christopher Tobutt
As the sun dipped below the horizon on Friday, 31 Oct. and Cayman’s children set out on the annual tradition of acquiring candy from homeowners in lieu of a ‘trick’, the Cayman National Choir and Orchestra was preparing a ‘treat’ for all those who came to the Harquail Theatre that evening.
The performance, ‘Twilight & Silhouettes’, welcomed the audience into a world of musical chiaroscuro – where light and shadow danced in harmony. It was a voyage – through time, place, and imagination – led by volunteers displaying remarkable artistry.
The evening opened in near darkness, a single voice rising, then joined by others, swelling into radiant harmony. ‘Lumen’, by Abbie Betinis, inspired by her triumphant battle with cancer, set the tone: fierce joy overcoming sorrow, light piercing the gloom. Its Latin refrain – “receive the light and pass it on”– echoed the concert’s theme of shared hope.
From there, the orchestra plunged into Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Toccata and Fugue in D minor,’ reimagined for full ensemble. Familiar yet fresh, it revealed new depths of drama and nuance, each instrument a voice in a vivid conversation.
The choir returned with selections from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ – ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ and ‘Sabbath Prayer’ – the former, a tender meditation on time’s passage and the bittersweet experience of every parent as they see their children grow up, rose and fell like the tide, while the latter offered a communal blessing, rich in warmth and reverence.
Jean Sibelius’ ‘The Bard’ followed, a tone poem evoking ancient storytellers. Staccato, harp-like arpeggios overlaid by majestic strings conjured misty landscapes and forgotten sagas, inviting reflection and wonder.
Then came a burst of rhythmic energy with Greg Gilpin’s ‘Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet’, a spiritual full of drive and defiance. It was a joyful declaration of determination to make one’s way through this life’s trials and temptations – and finally “walk those golden streets.”
The choir and orchestra united for Z. Randall Stroope’s ‘Inscription of Hope’, inspired by words etched on a cellar wall during the Holocaust. “I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining,” a message of enduring faith, delivered with breathtaking sensitivity.
After intermission, the orchestra painted vivid scenes: Modest Mussorgsky’s ‘Night on a Bare Mountain’ thundered with eerie grandeur; Daniel Elder’s ‘October Sun’ glowed with autumnal warmth; Sergei Rachmaninoff’s ‘Adagio’ from Symphony No. 2 offered lush, romantic introspection.
The choir’s rendition of ‘This Little Light of Mine’, arranged by Robert T. Gibson, brought jazz-infused joy, syncopated and sparkling. Then came Kenny G’s ‘Silhouette’, a smooth jazz reverie evoking the golden-red hues of a Cayman sunset.
And finally, the grand finale: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s ‘Dies Irae’. Choir and orchestra, in full force, summoned drama and majesty, closing the evening with a powerful invocation of light and shadow, life and legacy.
‘Twilight & Silhouettes’ was a treat crafted by volunteers, offered with love and received with awe. It reminded us that even in darkness, music can illuminate the soul, and that sometimes, the most magical journeys bring us right back home.
Christopher Tobutt is a freelance journalist who has written for various publications in the Cayman Islands since 2003.
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