THE finals of the first ever National Song Festival in Guyana will get underway today at the National Cultural Centre, and will see some 22 groups do battle for supremacy and a chance to rake in something from the whopping $1M up for grabs in cash and prizes.

Speaking to Event Coordinator Andrew Tyndall yesterday, this newspaper learnt that the event will be opened with a sizzling performance by the Woodside Choir, which is actually the longest serving choir in Guyana.
This choir will not be competing in the event, but will actually be setting the ambience for proceedings.
Showtime for the event is set at 3pm (15:00hrs).
Tyndall disclosed that patrons would not need entry tickets, since admission to the event is absolutely free of charge. All a person desirous of attending the event needs to do is to just walk into the National Cultural Centre, take a seat and enjoy the show.
This event is categorized into two groups, being the large and small choir groups.
In the large group, the winner can take home $300,000 and a trophy; while the second-place prize is set at $200,000 and a trophy. The third-place winner will be awarded $100,000 and a trophy.
In the small group category, the winner will receive $200,000 and a trophy, while the second and third placed finalists would respectively be given $125,000 and $75,000 with trophies.
Competitors are required to sing a song of their choice, and also one National Song, to ascertain their positions at the event’s conclusion.
In the large group segment, patrons will see sizzling entries and fiery battles among the Multi 5 Choir from New Amsterdam, Berbice; Harmony 4 from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); J4 Inspiration of Queen’s College; and the Messengers Choir from the East Coast Demerara.
Battling for top honours in this segment also are Brothers in Christ, Imani, and Calvary Melody Makers choirs of Georgetown; while Harmony Choir of Linden and Nelson’s Choral from Buxton hope to make a name for themselves in this arena.
The large group category indicates the dawn of tumultuous clashes, judging from the lineup that was provided to us.
In this segment, St. Mary’s Music Academy of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara will have to battle against the Sophia Seventh-day Adventist Choir and the Queen’s College Choir also. The war rages on with the Guyana Police Force Mixed Voice Choir, the Brickdam Cathedral Choir, and the New Amsterdam Multilateral School Choir all striving to cart off the whopping cash prizes.
They, of course, have to watch out for the Sasca Heraldiers of Linden, the New Apostolic Church Choir from Georgetown, and the Children’s Regional and Pentecostal Choirs of Linden, not forgetting the talented Women of Worth Choir from Georgetown, who vowed to cart off the top prize.
The National Song Festival was made possible through the efforts of the Culture Ministry, in collaboration with the stakeholders — Ministry of Education, Ministry of Local Government, Guyana Music Teachers Association, Religious Organisations, National Music Community, National Communications Network (NCN), and Ministry of Education (Allied Arts Department)
The National Song Festival is designed to provide the opportunity for singing groups across Guyana to compete in two categories. The small group category will include three to ten persons (trios, quartets, quintets and sixteths); while the choirs would contain fifteen to thirty persons.
The National Song Festival also creates opportunity for training through music workshops, with the goal being to promote choral singing nationwide. Its objectives encompass the provision of an opportunity for creative expression, provision of necessary training for resuscitation of good choral singing, and creation of a forum for discovering and showcasing of new talent, and fostering national pride through singing of national songs.
National Communications Network (NCN) will provide coverage, television and radio production, and packaging of event for national broadcast.