‘An Evening of Elegance’- Concerts Raise Money for Early Childhood Education

Mrs. Lorna Golding, wife of Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding, has everything to smile about this Labour Day. Her major Child Month project – the staging of two concerts billed as “An Evening of the Classics” played to a fair sized audience at the Half-Moon Hotel in Montego Bay and a full-house at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.
The classical concerts held on Saturday (May 23) in Montego Bay and Sunday (May 24) in Kingston, were in aid of early childhood education institutions. This year’s proceeds will go to the Nanny Yard Nursery at Jamaica House, an infant school in the Prime Minister’s constituency West Kingston; an infant school in the constituency of the Leader of the Opposition; a basic school in the constituency of the Minister of Education in St Andrew; and two infant schools in Montego Bay.
The effort, which is done through the Jamaica Early Childhood Development Foundation (JACDF) of which Mrs. Golding is the Founder and Chairman, seeks to highlight the need for parents to ensure that their children, from birth to age three, receive stimulation that is essential to their development and preparation for school.
During her address to the audience at the Kingston concert, Mrs. Golding said, “The JECDF’s mission is to help provide resources and improved services for all Jamaican children – especially those at risk of HIV/AIDS – regardless of their background. This will enable them to have equal opportunities to develop to their full potential.”
She said that her family knew the benefits of the early stimulation of children and that she is committed to improving standards in existing facilities across the nation.
Highlight of both concerts was performances of the music of Bach and Mendelssohn by the visiting quartet: French hornist William Purvis; pianist Mihae Lee and the violin and cello couple, Kathy and Meng Robinson.
Jamaican performers at the Montego Bay concert included Rory Frankson, Talia Prout of the Montego Bay Infant School, the Montego Bay High School, the Harrison Prep School choir and saxophonist Garfield Lawrence. Sybil’s Music Studio featured violin performances by Catherine Smith, Louis Li and Christian Chin Hing.
Kingston’s concert featured the University Singers, who gave a preview of their upcoming concert series. Youth violinists included the Stephen Woodham-trained Ellinor D’Melon; the Paulette Bellamy-trained Trio Bella of Nadje Leslie; Rochelle Haynes and Michelle and Gabbadon, and Aaron Lawrence. The Alpha Boys Band also performed.
During the pre-show cocktail hour, the audience was treated to background music by the Immaculate High School steel orchestra and the Jamaica Military Band.