It was a beautiful evening of music led by the Kanneh Mason family at the Mill Reef Club last Saturday. The seven siblings performed several classical music pieces together, in duets and solos, during the evening repertoire to the delight of the assembled audience.
In the evening, a select ensemble represented the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra (ABYSO). The young orchestra members seized the opportunity to demonstrate their ongoing growth in the art form, delighting the audience. The ABYSO performers executed their pieces to a high standard, pleasing the audience, which included patrons who invest annually in securing the instruments and other vital components for the organization’s growth. The players were 1st Violin: Alfranique Joseph, Aria Tulloch, Asafa Donovan, Calynia Edwards; 2nd Violin: Annelia Frederick, Fayth Moses, Felica Edwards; Viola: Alena Armstrong, Amari Cornelius; Cello: Alycia Allie, Sa’Kyah Leadeatte; and Bass: Draeden Gibbs.
High Commissioner Karen-Mae Hill and the ABYSO management committee place a high value on the participation of the ABYSO in the “Evening of Music” held annually at the Mill Reef. She indicated that the concert hosted each year is a way to express gratitude to Mill Reef and demonstrate how their investments have been utilized. She remarked that it showcases “the growth of the young people and exposes them to performing before diverse audiences, helping them understand that their place in the world is not defined by geography or race but that they are children of the universe.”
The Mill Reef Club is one of two major patrons who support the Kanneh-Mason’s annual musical tour to Antigua and Barbuda as part of the overall development of the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra (ABYSO) Project and the annual Player to Inspire Concert series.
The performance preceded the annual Playing to Inspire concert series, which takes place at the St. John’s Pentecostal Church’s House of Restoration this Saturday, 12 April, beginning at 7:30 pm. Playing to Inspire 7 will feature the Kanneh-Masons, the ABYSO, the Inspire Choir, and phenomenal guest performers, including Felix Klieser, a professional player of the French horn who was born without arms and plays the horn by using the toes of his left foot to operate the valves, and soulful Tenor Leslie Nanton
About The Kanneh-Masons – The Kanneh-Masons are seven siblings, all of whom play either the violin, piano, or cello. They have won numerous prizes and awards and have appeared on several television shows. The five eldest performed at the BAFTA Awards 2018, and all seven appeared in the December 2019 Royal Variety Show. In October 2020, they released their first album, ” Carnival, ” on Decca Classics to great critical acclaim, and in May 2021, they received the Global Award for Best Classical Artist. All the children either attend or have attended London’s Royal Academy of Music and its Primary and Junior Academies, except for pianist Jeneba, who has progressed to London’s Royal College of Music for her undergraduate studies. Born in Sierra Leone but having moved to Wales as a young girl, Kadiatu lectured in English at the University of Birmingham. In contrast, Stuart, whose parents were both born in Antigua, was born in London and works for a luxury experiential travel company.
About the ABYSO – Founded in 2018 by the Kanneh-Masons and Karen-Mae Hill, the ABYSO operates year-round after-school programmes for young people at all instrumental and choral learning levels, from beginners to seniors. Public performances throughout the year showcase the young performers’ hard work and talent, ranging from orchestral standards to musical theatre shows and intimate chamber events. International partnerships bring world-class musicians, composers, and conductors to work alongside young musicians, mentorship, and concerts in England. Traineeships provide new skills such as instrument repair and piano tuning. Under the patronage of Governor General Sir Rodney Williams and Lady Williams, the ABYSO is a registered non-profit organization supported by an eleven-member Board of volunteers drawn from the arts, business, and philanthropic communities. ABYSO holds 501(c) (3) charitable status and is a registered non-profit with the Antigua and Barbuda Inland Revenue Department.
