BROOKLYN, NY. -- The Jamaican-based University Singers, dubbed one of the leading choral groups in the Caribbean, is set to bring holiday cheer to Brooklyn later this month.
The group are set to perform at a show titled, ‘Christmas in the Caribbean,’ on December 16 from 8 p.m. at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Walt Whitman Theatre, one block from the junction of Flatbush & Nostrand Avenues.
The talented young men and women from the University of the West Indies perform with grace and style, consistently earning standing ovations. They are noted for their versatility, spanning a varied number of musical genres including classical, American negro spirituals, jazz, folk, and gospel, as well as local and international popular music.
A special feature of the choir’s repertoire is the original music of Caribbean composers; in fact, many leading Caribbean composers have emerged from or are current members of the group. The choir began in 1957 with seven undergraduate students who met for the sheer joy of singing. Today, the choir has a full complement of over forty members, both undergraduate and graduate students of the University.
Noel Dexter, a distinguished musician and composer, has directed the choir for more than 27 years. Utilizing an avant-garde approach referred to as choral theatre, Professor the Rex Nettleford, Vice Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies, stages movement. The University Singers have received numerous national awards, including the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in 2003, the Vice Chancellor’s Award for sterling contribution to the University, and a National Gold Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica. The group has performed at many state and official events in the presence of such notables as President Nelson Mandela, Nobel Laureate; former Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, Desmond Tutu; and Queen Elizabeth II.
Tickets: $40, $35 and $20 and can be obtained by calling (718) 951-4500 or logging on to: BrooklynCenterOnline.org.
