NOT so long ago, Guyana boasted an envious number of choirs. Choral singing was vibrant in churches and schools, associations and organisations. To be a choir member afforded persons the honour of performing at various activities at the community or national level. Needless to say, our treasury of national songs was a must in every repertoire. The performing of these national songs instilled and reinforced a great sense of national pride in both listener and performer alike.

Today, this wonderful pastime has lost its appeal, and with that, the prominence of music which fosters a spirit of social cohesion and national pride.

But absence of this form of musical expression in no way suggests absence of talent in our society. There needs only to recreate the appeal, to provide the opportunity for training and the stage where choral singing can be showcased.

Towards this end, the Culture Ministry, in collaboration with stakeholders – the Ministries of Education and Local Government, the Guyana Music Teachers Association, religious organisations, the national music community, and the National Communications Network (NCN), along with the Allied Arts Department of the Ministry of Education, will be hosting the first ever National Song Festival, for which several auditions will be hosted countrywide.

The explosive highlight about this venture is that participants can win up to $1M in prizes at the end of the event.

The National Song Festival is designed to provide the opportunity for singing groups across Guyana to compete in two categories. The Small Groups’ category will include three to ten persons (trios, quartets, quintets and sextets), while the choirs will contain fifteen to thirty persons.

The National Song Festival also creates the opportunity for training through music workshops.

Speaking to officials at the Guyana Music Teachers Association, this newspaper was informed that the goal of this initiative is to promote choral singing nationwide, while its objectives encompass providing opportunity for creative expression, & provide necessary training for resuscitation of good choral singing.

The National Song Festival also creates the forum for  discovery and showcasing of new talent, and fostering of national pride through the singing of national songs.

Target areas

The National Song Festival will target seven of the ten administrative regions across Guyana, namely Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 10.  By starting in the regions, it is hoped that the festival will create local interest and hometown support. Building on that momentum, the Festival will be viewed as having national participation, with regions competing against each other.

While it is regrettable that Regions One, Eight and Nine have not been included, their omission is solely due to budgetary and logistical constraints, according to officials involved in the promotion of this event.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has overall responsibility for co-ordinating this event, and will accordingly be responsible for facilitating the relevant approval for the use of Ministry of Education buildings for the purpose of auditions and workshops.

Their responsibilities also include assisting in the registration process (distribution and collection of registration forms).

The Ministry of Local Government (RDC) officers in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven & Ten are responsible for promoting the festival in their respective regions, and for providing logistical support for auditions and workshops. They will also be expected to assist in the registration process (distribution and collection of registration forms.)

The stakeholders are all expected to provide technical support in all musical matters, assist in promotion of the festival, and assist in the registration process (distribution and collection of registration forms).

Promoting the festival in their respective organizations is amongst their responsibilities, as is assisting in the registration process (distribution and collection of registration forms).

The National Communications Network (NCN) will provide coverage, television and radio production, and packaging of event for national broadcast.

Festival format

The National Song Festival will be advertised on television, radio, and in the print media one month prior to the closing of registration. It is also expected that stakeholders would be actively involved in mobilizing potential contestants.

Auditions and workshops will be conducted in five zones to facilitate the seven regions.
Zone One auditions will be staged in Region Two (Anna Regina), while Zone Two (Regions Three & Four) will have theirs in Georgetown.
Zone Three (Regions Five & Six) will host their auditions and workshops in New Amsterdam, Berbice, with Zone Four (Region Seven) having theirs in Bartica. Zone Five (Region 10) will stage all auditions and workshops in Linden.

The auditions and workshops will be conducted over a two-day period in each zone. Registrants will be required to perform two songs before a panel of three judges. Auditions will be held on the evening of one day, and the successful contestants will then be trained the following day in a workshop tailored to help them improve. The workshop will be conducted by the same individuals who adjudicated in the auditions, thus allowing for training relevant to their particular needs.

A team comprising the coordinator and three music specialists will facilitate both the audition and the workshop.

The final segment of the National Music Festival will be staged at the National Cultural Centre. The best small group and choir from each region will compete for top honours, cash prizes and trophies.

Contestants will be required to perform one national song and any other song of their choice.
The performances at the finals will be adjudicated by a panel of three judges. All three scores, when tallied by two scorers, will determine the winners and runners-up in the event.