St.
George’s, March 16, 2011 – Grenada will be holding a soca
monarch competition for secondary school students later this year.
It will
form part of the newly launched Carnival Arts Programme (CAP), a UNESCO-sponsored
initiative of the Ministry of Education which has embarked on a refocusing of
the schools’ curriculum. The ministry’s efforts include giving more serious
attention to subjects such as arts, culture, sports and tourism education.
CAP is
being supported the Department of Culture in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Senator
Arley Gill, Minister of State with responsibility for Culture, said the
“Intercol Soca Monarch’’ competition will be held on July 8.
According
to the Senator, veteran local composers, musicians, and singers will be
involved as teachers and facilitators for a calypso outreach in every parish,
including Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
“They’ll
teach the art of writing, composing and performing calypso and soca songs,’’ he
explained.
There
will also be tutoring for young potential pan arrangers to be conducted by
musician James Clarkson, longtime arranger with Republic Bank Angel Harps Steel
Orchestra.
Under
the masquerade section of CAP, students would be invited to design and present
sketches for both traditional and fancy mas’ bands. The top designers in each
category of the “Making of the Band’’ will be awarded a cash prize of EC$6,000.
Organisers
are inviting students to develop their concepts and submit their entries for
the competition by May 31. The winning sketches are expected to be featured as
part of the 2011 carnival celebrations that culminate with the street parade on
August 8 and 9.
“One of
the weaknesses we have with carnival in Grenada is that not sufficient
masqueraders can be seen on the streets on the Monday and Tuesday of carnival.
So we are having the ‘Making the Band’ competition,’’ said Sen. Gill.
Chief
Cultural Officer, Thomas Matthew, said the Cultural Arts Programme will begin in
April. The support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation would allow for an initial phase of the programme of three to four
months.
Mr.
Matthew said the Department of Cultural plans on putting the necessary structure
in place to continue CAP at the end of UNESCO-backed phase.
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