She’s just 20 and has already played with some of world’s best musicians including the late Ralph Mac Donald, Robert Greenidge, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe and Ken “Professor” Philmore. The daughter of former Woodbrook Councillor Cleveland Garcia, Ayana Garcia recently gave a recital at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain to complete her degree programme at the UTT APA campus. A child prodigy, Garcia began playing pan at age three when deceased Ralph Mac Donald and ace arranger, her mentor, Robert Greenidge would visit and give her scales to play. At that tender age Garcia was like a sponge just eager to learn. Unknowing to her parents she organised her computer classes on a Friday afternoon at Trinity Junior School so that she could attend Ava “Auntie Ava” Hutchinson-Agard’s music class. It was only after a mere two months when Hutchinson-Agard called for her fees that her parents knew what Garcia had done. So, it was arranged that she would do music with Laura Franklyn, sing in the choir at school and then do lessons with Auntie Ava on Friday afternoons.
Garcia was given the opportunity to write the SEA examination when she was ten and passed for her first choice—Bishop Anstey High School (BAHS). At Bishop’s, Garcia continued her music tuition with musical director Lorraine Granderson and sang with the BAHS choir. After successfully completing her O’Level exams at 15, Garcia signed up at UTT John Donaldson campus to do animation but she had a change of heart and switched to music. She entered the music programme at the UTT O’Meara campus where she met Desmond Waithe, her father’s music teacher and musical director of Republic Bank Exodus. Waithe soon recognised Garcia’s talent and took her under his wings. She completed a two-year course in one year and by 2010 she was entering the BFA Programme at UTT APA campus. Waithe was and still is Garcia’s mentor, guide, lecturer and confidante. About him she said: “He is a true role model to students and should be recognised for his ability to nurture his students. He is one of the few dedicated teachers that exist now.”
Unable to stay quiet, Garcia has several certificates to her name. She did dance with Noble Douglas and the Lilliput Theatre; drama with Penelope Spencer at Necessary Arts; broadcasting with Holly Thomas and Edison Carr; Fashion Design 1 at UTT John Donaldson campus; certificates in typing, introduction to business; Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint; Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop from Deltasoft; and swimming from the YMCA. In short this young lady is an all-round achiever, excelling at anything she puts her mind too. At UTT during her vacations Garcia would also do the Logic courses with Martin Raymond and try to get as much exposure to sound engineering from Raymond, and Japanese Yoichi Watanabe and Kats Imai.
Garcia has played at the National Panorama competition for many years with Witco Desperadoes, Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove and PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars. From birth she has socialised with calypso and soca artistes and is well known in the music arena.
Garcia’s finals recital was testimony of her musical prowess. For these finals students were required to plan a recital, organise sound and lights; crew; decor; advertising; programmes and programme notes; music score sheets; refreshments; photographers; costuming and guest performances etc. They were being judged by a panel. Garcia’s panel comprised of Jonathan Storer, Kwame Ryan and Desmond Waithe and she was successful. Garcia titled her recital Stardust -A Musical Journey. Following welcoming remarks by Garcia, the national anthem was played on pan by veteran Natasha Joseph, Louis Rodgers and Saieed Garcia. Garcia then played a repertoire of seven selections, inclusive of Just the Two of Us (Ralph MacDonald) Helter Skelter (W C Lemon); The Barber of Seville (Gioacchino Rossini); Tryin a Ting (Liam Teague); Mirrors ( Justin Timberlake); Czardas (Vitorio Monti); and, Fantasie Impromptu (Frederic Chopin).
After she delivered a vote of thanks, Garcia was joined on stage by her group, comprising Natasha Joseph, Saieed Garcia, Jamila Reid, Anika Reid, Lisa Goodridge, Louis Rogers and Joshua Salcedo.
For the grand finale Garcia and her ensemble played the Mighty Sparrow’s Rose, arranged by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. Ayana Garcia, despite her age, can be considered a very knowledgeable and experienced cultural ambassador, as well as an inspiration and mentor to young people, since she has a wealth of knowledge of our cultural history.