Following a pandemic-enforced pause of two years, the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra (ABYSO) and the Kanneh-Masons have announced the hosting of their annual flagship collaboration ‘Playing to Inspire 4: An Evening of Musical Excellence’ onApril 16 at the SJPC House of Restoration on Lauchland Benjamin Drive at 7.30pm.
“The ABYSO and the Kanneh-Masons will welcome American conductor Jonathon Heyward to Antigua and Barbuda for this concert,” a release said.
“Jonathon is described as one of the most exciting conductors on the international scene. The concert will also feature award-winning cellist Ashok Klouda, indisputably recognised as the leading half Indian, quarter Irish, quarter Czech (but still actually British) cellist in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom.
“The voices of the Inspire Choir will resound in perfect harmony during the concert and Antigua’s very own pan maestro, Khan Cordice, will complete the line-up of featured stars for this year’s concert.”
The Playing to Inspire concert will culminate a week of workshops and private performances. The week will also include the much anticipated Antigua launch of Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason’s award-winning memoir ‘House of Music – Raising the Kanneh-Masons’. There will also be a special performance at Lucky Eddi’s in English Harbour.
Tickets for the Playing to Inspire concert are available at Crab Hole Liquors, Woods Pharmacy, Best of Books, the Larder, and Sysco Pharmacy in Jolly Harbour.
The ABYSO is a year-round, after-school music programme committed to providing quality and accessible music education, instruments, performance and mentorship opportunities to young musicians and music educators across Antigua and Barbuda.
Since 2017, the musicians in the ABYSO have continued to develop their skills online and in person with music mentors and are excited to share their music with the public once again.
The Kanneh-Masons are seven brothers and sisters, ranging in age from 24 to 11 years old, all of whom play either violin, piano or cello. They have won many prizes and awards and appeared in numerous television shows.
Their father, Stuart Mason, a business executive for a luxury experiential travel company, hails from Antigua where both of his parents were born, while their mother, Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, is a former university lecturer born in Sierra Leone before moving to Wales.