Children's Gospel Competition heats up

Hasani Walters, Gleaner Writer

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's Children's Gospel semi-finals got under way at the New Testament Church of God, 51 Eastwood Park Road last Thursday as several groups from across Jamaica came to prove to judges that they should be among the four from each category (solo, ensemble and choir) who advance to the final.

Entrants in the 6-10 years solo category were up first and gave a fairly good account of themselves with Jamilah Barclay's Close To You, Ashleigh Cummings' God Is Too Wise, Damarli Foster's Create In Me A Clean Heart, Sashakay Nissbett's Great Is Your Mercy, Anthonia Atkinson's Lord You're Holy, Remone Wilson Four Days Late and Anelia Dennis' Before Thy Throne.

The ensemble and choir category of the same age group was equally impressive with groups such as New Life Church, Singing Jewels, Willowdene Preparatory and Hagley Park Preparatory.

The 11- to 15-year-old solo category had standout performers.

Clad in black and white, Anique Morris of Corinaldi Avenue Primary School did a good performance of You Are God Alone and Calvary Gospel Hall's Rochelle Henry was also impressive with I Look To You.

Ardenne High School's two male entrants, Jonathan Davis and Alex Anderson sang This Too Shall Pass and Yet Still I Rise respectively. Both did well.

Jaida Messam's Lord You're Holy and Jamielle Gilman's Then Came The Morning was also well executed.

High notes

Among the groups included in the age 11-15 ensemble category were The Sutherlands with Pray On, Covenant Christian Academy singing Jesus Take The Wheel and Ascot Girls' Imagine Me. All belted high notes throughout the church hall and provided much entertainment.

Team Change from the 11-15 year choir category celebrated Jamaica50 with Giving Thanks. The song was complemented by colourful black, green and gold costumes, while the Salvation Army School For The Blind sang Lord We Glorify You.

Oracabessa High's Bless The Lord and Ferncourt High's I Am A Friend Of God were also performances of note.

With the number of strong performances the judges will have a difficult time deciding who will make it to the final which takes place in May.

Those finalists will be decided today.

CAPTION: The Singing Jewels, a quartet from Corinaldi Primary School in Montego Bay, who took home the gold medal for the Ensemble Category (six to ten years old) in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's Children's Gospel Song Competition in 2010. Standing from left are Anique Morris, Alethis Campbell, Danielle Thomas and Rhonae Lumonas. With them are teachers Odette Campbell Morris (sitting left) and Janet Grey, who were assisted with vocal training by music teacher John Hamilton (not in the picture). - Photo by Nagra Plunkett