cadenza

 

Just ready to sleep and wake up at the end of this tunnel

Saying Goodbye to 2013...

So here, I sit at my desk at work, dimly aware of life around me (groggy as I am from lack of sleep) and I pause...I am at my desk...on the last day of the year 2013. its over. another year: an eventful, interesting, depressing, joyous, life changing, painful, beautiful year is at its close...I'm awed...as I go through captured moments, a lot come to mind, and many un - captured...but lets attempt a quick photoreview...

FrenchMan's Cove, January 2013

I had the pleasure of beginning the year with fellowship, as some of my closest friends all piled up into a car and we were off, to one of the most pristine beaches on our little Isle of Jamaica...it was lovely, and the memory of that day warms me.

Tenors of JYC (Not pictured: D. Hamilton, P. Dawes and D. Bailey)

Had the first official photo-shoot and concert Season of the Jamaica Youth Chorale, here I am with my fellow tenors. I Love these guys like family, and I am heartened to know they feel the same 

Diocesan Festival Choir Beach Trip (James Bond Beach)

My sister paid me a visit for the summer. It was glorious having her back with me, and sharing the life I had carved for myself in Jamaica with her. Here we are on a choir beach trip, and about to attend a street session with my/our father (lol), and, as usual, It became like we were kids again lyming and skipping, sighting, water war...I miss her much, and as I may not see her for another 2 years, this vacation was immensely memorable

The real glue that keeps this Trio running 

Post performance, Music in the Hills, the Ambrosian Ensemble

I was a Part of an octet for a concert recital of Operatic Choruses and Quartets, Broadway standards and Sacred works...I sang In German, Latin and Italian...Loved every second of the experience, and I hope I am called upon again to sing with these awesomely talented people

My most emotionally charged role to date, I was a dance soloist to spoken word at the year's "Gungo Walk" and "Tallawah" arts festivals. I played Dwayne Jones, A young Gender non-conforming boy who had got beaten to death by a mob of intolerant Jamaicans. I was scared, I was saddened...and I cried. It will be a role and piece that remains with me forever, and I am glad I could do something in tribute to a life cut too short 

Kinesio taped and ordered a month of no activity

 THIS WAS HARD...while dancing, I got a sprained back and slightly dislocated a vertebra, and jarred them. I got my first immensely debilitating injury since mountain- biking as a kid (I biked off a cliff and landed right into a concussion, lol), and it was very eye opening... it hurt...deeply, as it made me aware of just.how.dangerous.dance. is. It was and is a task acclimatising to this weakness, and I hope as I learn to live with it (the effects are somewhat permanent) and to regain strength, I will keep the lesson of safety and moderation forefront in mind. Another effect it had was the revelation that not all is as it seems, and an olive branch can pose as hemlock and vice versa..

Here pushing through pain during a work break

Company Dance Theatre In McDaniel's Reggae piece SESSION. 

I Performed in my fourth season of dance with the Company Dance Theatre, a great task and undertaking with a career - ending injury (that demanded rest that I wasn't willing to take). while it was not a particularly happy time of it, I have grown as a performer, and tested in great discomfort as I sought not to let the experience of the audience be marred by my handicap.




While there are many more eventful photos and experiences, I chose to try and highlight those I was a bit more "comfortable" sharing...for now...
It was great having you 2013, I definitely gained strength; even at the expense of the physical, courage and no shortage of opportunities to glean wisdom. I have, lived, laughed, loved and made bonds that I hope will last a lifetime, and memories that will last until the end of all time.

this...This...THISSS!!!

DAMMIT!!! I wholly feel this!  wholly applaud this!!! Big up my friend Toni Blair who communicates exactly what we feel down here!!! Mi nah lie, I watched this and became enraged, I cried with her as well...this is right, whats going on here is utter SLACKNESS!!!!

of Dances and growth...Panorama:The Next Generation

So...the Weekend of the third of November, The Company Dance theatre opened curtain on our 24th season of dance "PANORAMA:The Next Generation"...
LOVED IT!!!!

My Dance partner, Jo-Ann Morris and I in Wilson's "Whisper"(2012)

An about face in the 2nd Movement (men's dance) of
Wilson's "PANORAMA:The Next Generation" (2012)

I enjoyed alot of the choreo entrusted to me, and I especially was moved to deep emotion when I had discovered that I had been promoted to a Junior member of the company...I felt vindicated after the long-though fun- nights, injuries and fatigue while going through my subsequent days ... Mr Anthony Wilson, Artistic Director, I am immensely grateful for the Opportunity, Mr Ricardo McKenzie, for being the awesomest friend for making me tag along to join with you, I owe you the biggest hug in LIFE, Mr Sigmund Morgan, for the constant encouragement, Grazie! to Mr Jerren Chambers, for the talks and encouragement, Zurie Johnson, for lightening (and then infuriatingly darkening) the bad days...we've come a long way from being "those feisty UWI boys" and I could not ask for more awesome guys to be lumped with :-) I must mention the camaraderie of Mssrs Corve DaCosta and David Reid, a league above but still great persons to share a stage with and the up and coming Mr R. Barrett

The Company in the finale of the title piece of the show Panorama!

Of solos, concerts and SOLO...me Alone

So some weekends back the Jamaica Youth Chorale had our annual flagship concert "Ancestor Voices". I had been asked to submit an arrangement of the Jamaican Spiritual "Me Alone", which tells the story of Jesus' temptation and fasting in the wilderness. I was ecstatic the director loved my arrangement (though he wasn't surprised at that, his words: "give you anything sad or dark and it must come out good"), and the rehearsals devoted to it and my hearing it were very touching moments in my life...then terror struck
"...So Carl, go ahead and try out the solo..."
*Gasps* what? uhm, can I just ...not, please? I never write with myself in mind for a solo and would not dream of singing a solo I've written let alone premièring it! I was terror and awestruck simultaneously...and went on to be the soloist in my own piece at the concert...well received rendition even if it felt like an out of body experience...a friend/group of friends conspired to record my experience (did I mention I am slowly hating the Video feature of smartphones? *shakes head*) and proceeded to regale me of the mistakes odd nuances and (few) good moments of the piece...

The UWI Chorale (and what should be) my farewell concert Season

Me Photobombing the ladies of the Alto Line picture :-D

So this past weekend Saw me on stage for the University Chorale's (UWI, Mona) Concert Season 2012. One of the many performing Arts concepts I'm apparently a part of. It was, despite all the glitches, last minute complications and little things, an excellent show. I got to perform several songs I've wanted to for years, Work's When I was Sinking Down, Thomas' Peter Go Ring Dem Bells and though I would never say it, Leckberg's Alleluia. We even did Noel Dexter's Psalm 24 which has only been performed once prior to this season...

Me and Kimmy, Stage couple in all our choirs *feelin the lovements*

This was an arduous journey to the stage...and one of the very few where I was absent for more than 40% of the preparations for the show due to the demanding natures of my jobs and other performing arts concepts (hides face)...Until February I was not even sure I would be allowed to or even take part in the show until the MD (musical director), finally exasperated and convinced that I was serious in my asking if I was to be doing the show relented and said that I was in "the cast" as it were. then began the back work to catch up with the choir, which I assumed was light-years ahead of where I was as it regarded knowledge of songs for the season having staged alot of pieces and set the "high-church" music...fortunately, I wasn't as behind as I'd thought and we pulled through and gave a stellar performance

Me and one of ma Besties, ANNA...love her!

Di 3 musketeers...lol

A scene from the Jamaican Folk Suite of the show Anna on Solo *Whoot*

Of Adele and an easy Tuesday Afternoon...

As I sit, I move through music and artistes I have not listened to in a while, I came across A song I fell in love with last week, Cheryl Cole's Promise This as sung by Adele. I have no real "emotional" reason why I love the song, it really is just a slower take on what was expressed in Rollin' in the Deep, (wait...umm...maybe less than no emotional reason, lol) but  this song moves me..it is just...wow...and I dont say that often of many things...I just love this song, and to top it off the song has in its lyrics "Alouette" nursery rhyme, brilliantly poignant juxtaposing "him" as the lark being dismembered and asking to be covered before the inevitable demise... for your listening pleasure, Adele with a cover of Cheryl Cole's Promise This =)