Trinity College, Moka, gave a polished musical performance to capture the coveted championship title of the secondary schools division of the bpTT National Junior Parang Festival 2013 which took place at El Dorado West Secondary School over the weekend. Making their very first appearance in the annual parang extravaganza, Trinity won the judges’ approval with skillful rendition of their two songs, Cantando Gloria and Rio Manzanare, on Saturday. For good measure, Trinity’s Michael Bristol was adjudged Best Lead Male Singer. On Sunday, Sacred Heart Boys’ RC copped the primary schools championship title, pushing last year’s champions, Newtown Boys’ RC, to second place. A release from bpTT said Trinity College and Sacred Heart Boys’ RC were presented with huge bpTT Challenge trophies and won a cash prize of $8,000 each. Runners-up in each division get $6,000, while third place finishers receive $4,000.
For the third year, a People’s Choice Award was offered for each category, with voting done by texting specific codes, as well as using the social media Facebook via bpTT Community Energy.
A total of 16 secondary schools showed off their musical talents on Saturday, while 15 schools competed in the primary schools division on Sunday, with packed halls in attendance on both days. A semifinal round was held this year to facilitate a smoother running of the event. The National Junior Parang Festival earned title sponsorship from energy company company bpTT in 2012. BpTT has partnered with the organisers, the National Parang Association of T&T (NPATT) since 1990 as a sponsor of the festival, now in its 35th year. Pledging the continued support of bpTT to the growing festival were Allan Subero, director, Crisis and Continuity and Emergency Response S∨ and Rachel Caines, Communications and External Affairs challenger.
They emphasised that the competition was not just about preserving parang music, one of T&T’s cultural treasures; it also focused on the all-round development of the youths, the future of the country. The bpTT representatives congratulated the young paranderos, parents and teachers and officers of NPATT for their dedication and hard work in pulling off a grand festival. NPATT President, Kelvin Wharwood, thanked bpTT for its wholehearted support of the festival. He said a main objective was the training of students to play musical instruments on a wider scale in the future. “I would like to see more students playing instruments and accompanying their schools at the festival. To this effect, we will invite schools to register their students for a training workshop during the Easter and August vacation periods,” he said. Judges for the festival were Dr Sylvia Moodie-Kublalsingh, Anthony Williams and Annette Hunte-Lessey.
Results
Major Results of the 2012 bpTT Junior Parang Festival:
Secondary Schools
Champions: Trinity College (Moka); Runners-Up: St Joseph’s Convent,
St Joseph;
3rd: Moruga Secondary.
Best Female Lead: Kerise-Marie Rawlins (Holy Faith Convent, Penal)
Best Male Lead: Michael Bristol (Trinity)
Best Musical Presentation:
Moruga Secondary
Best Stage Presentation: Trinity College
Best Lead Instrument: Tamara Dickson (St George’s)
Best Cuatro: Hannah Maeram
(St Augustine Girls’)
Best Guitar: Aisha Rahamut
(St Augustine Girls’)
Best Maracas: Devon Charles
(Arima North)
Best Toc Toc: Isaiah Pascall
(Arima North)
Best Box Bass: Surdonnah Moore
(Holy Faith, Penal)
Best Dressed Group: Moruga Secondary
Primary Schools:
Champions: Sacred Heart Boys’ RC; Runners-Up: Newtown Boys’ RC;
3rd: Sacred Heart Girls’ RC.