|
|
TUCO/Sunshine Snacks 2007 Junior Calypso Monarch Awards Ceremony
1st place winner Teneisha Weeks gets prize for "School Bag Dilemma"
presented by Michael Legerton
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Event Date: May 12, 2007
Posted: May 15, 2007
The 2007 TUCO/Sunshine Snacks Junior Committee Junior Calypso Awards ceremony took place in the Audio-Visual room of the National Library on Abercrombry Street, Port of Spain, on Saturday 12th May, 2007.
The small room that can accommodate about one hundred people at its maximum was almost full and seating was divided to separate the Junior Calypso awardees on the front right, the dignitaries and sponsors at the front and parents and supporters at the left and back.
The ceremony began with the National Anthem sung by members of the audience who filled in for the usually prerecorded song and an opening prayer by Francisca Rousseau. The master of ceremonies for the occasion was Calypsonian, Duane O'Conner.
Mrs. Thora Best, chairperson of the Junior Calypso Committee gave the welcoming address but before doing so apologized for the late start stating that some of the awardees and other specially invited guests were still absent. She, in her address, described the occasion as an auspicious one and thanked the sponsors for making this event possible. She lastly stated that Junior Calypso was once the best kept secret but this is no longer the case as it is becoming more and more popular every year.
Following Mrs. Best was a short speech from the main sponsor, Ms. Linda Pollard, representative of Sunshine Snacks. This year's competition, she said, was very exciting. The standard was high and the performances of the children were very outstanding and commendable. Sunshine Snacks, she promised, would continue their sponsorship, which is ongoing for 21 years now. She said that they (the sponsors) have been particularly impressed with the bravery and resilience of the junior artistes and would continue to endorse Junior Calypso to promote its continuance.
Speaking next was the President of TUCO, Mr. Michael Legerton who gave greetings on behalf of TUCO and the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs. Mr. Legerton, himself a notable Calypsonian, expressed that this year the 2007 TUCO/Sunshine Snacks Junior Calypso competition was exceptional and so too was the rest of Calypso which he said took a turn for the better. He stressed that the effort to take Calypso to the world stage would take serious work from all in the fraternity as well as the supporters of the art form.
Mr. Legerton warned that attempting to make the Junior Calypso artistes seniors before they are ready does them no good. He suggested that children be allowed to compose and sing their own Calypsos in order that they develop themselves musically. He also pleaded with parents to stop coming down on their children whose performances were not so good and encouraging antagonisms between them and fellow contestants and judges.
He also spoke about fellow Calypsonian, Dr. Hollis Liverpool's class for Calypsonians in which there were 41 positions available and only 12 persons attended. Out of the 12, about three or four did not complete the course, which he felt was very disappointing.
However, he stressed that some of those students, who themselves were judges, had admitted that after attending Mr. Liverpool's class, it was the first time that they understood what judging was about. Legerton further informed the audience that Mr. Liverpool was now designing a course for Junior Calypsonians and encouraged the young artistes present to take advantage of the opportunity.
The three main influences in his career Mr. Legerton expressed were Lord Kitchener, from whom he learned how to write; Lord Melody, whom he learnt how to be a true master of ceremonies and The Mighty Sparrow, whom he learnt the art of performance.
Mr. Legerton lastly informed the gathering that TUCO would be opening new offices in Port of Spain in the near future which they could look forward to.
Mrs. Merle Baker, representative of the Ministry of Education, also spoke to the audience reiterating the point that Mr. Legerton made about children being able to write Calypso for themselves.
Immediately after the greetings, was the highlight of the evening for the Junior Calypso artistes - the distribution of prizes. Although the young Calypsonians had already known their placement in the competition, they looked forward to receiving the rewards for their hard work. The big winners of the night were 2007 TUCO/Sunshine Snacks Junior Calypso Monarch, Tenisha Weeks with seven awards and Erphaan Alves coming in a close second with six awards.
Making appearances to distribute prizes were Brother Resistance and Machel Montano.
After the awardees received their trophies and plaques, they ended the joyful occasion by having some light refreshments and some snacks distributed by the Sunshine Snacks man.
Junior Calypso Monarch Prize-giving 2007 in pictures:
www.trinisoca.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=71392
|
|
