Schools across Saint Lucia are being brought together for a national music fair this month, as District 1 expands its annual music festival to give every school an opportunity to participate.
Music Coordinator for District 1 Anne Marie Small-Biroo told St Lucia Times the change was prompted by limitations in time and space, which previously restricted the number of schools able to perform at the festival which is being held during Music Month.
“In the past, just a few schools were able to perform at the music festival, due to limited time and limited space. But this time, we have decided to upgrade the music festival to a music fair, where every school on the island is going to participate in some kind of musical activity,” she explained.
The event, scheduled for November 16 at the Francis Babalastic Grounds in Gros Islet, will feature choirs, soloists, instrumentalists, music games and an exhibition highlighting music activities taking place in schools.
Education Officer for District 1 Cyrus Cepal said the aim of Music Month is to create an awareness of the importance of music to education.
“Throughout the year, you are supposed to have education as a combination of activities which involves sports music and other activities such as the arts and music sometimes finds itself hidden in the process,” he said.
“Then very often during the year, some schools give it very little attention, but that month of November, it is there to hype up music to get everyone to understand the value and importance of music in education, because if you really understand music in education, music works with the brain, it works with the mind, it works with the system. That will get students to have a more cognitive perception of what they are learning, and music is actually bringing that out.”
Lester Joseph, music teacher at Dame Pearlette Primary School, is excited about the upcoming music fair. Among those expected to feature is 10-year-old trumpet player Eli Jeon, who recently became Saint Lucia’s youngest CSEC Music candidate.
Joseph said the district was also planning a music jeopardy and a talent showcase, “District 1 Got Talent”.
“For this, we will be scouting for talent within our schools and showcasing it next year. The top five performers will be flown to Dominica to participate in a combined school talent show,” he explained.
Chun Young Jeon, music teacher at the Saint Lucia Sports Academy and District 1 music coordinator, said he hoped the event would encourage greater appreciation of music education and the opportunities it offers students.
“I want every school to feel represented, every student to feel that they have something valuable to contribute, and every music teacher to feel that the work they do in their classrooms is recognised and celebrated,” said Jeon, who is one of the organisers of the music fair.
Jeon also hopes the fair will become an annual event, bringing schools, parents, families and the wider community together through music.
Beyond the event, he said he wanted it to encourage teachers to continue developing creative, practical and interactive music lessons and motivate students to become more involved in music.
November is celebrated as Music Month in Saint Lucia, with activities taking place in schools and communities. The month also includes the Feast of St Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, on November 22. The occasion is marked by free performances from Saint Lucian musicians in several public spaces.
