Jazz band tunes up for concert
The event has become something of a tradition and each year the music seems to get better and better. Jacqueline Woods walked up Regent Street to House of Culture and discovered the sound of jazz floating across the Foreshore.
Jason Guerrero, Musical Director, House of Culture
“These students are fed from various programmes within the city. Some are in school programmes and some are taking private lessons–a lot of them in fact–and we’ve got a lot of high school students.”
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The one-week music clinic is conducted by Luciano Rosado. Rosado left Belize with his family at the age of fifteen. Today, the Chicago resident is an accomplished trumpet player performing with numerous classical and jazz groups. Despite Rosado’s busy schedule, he still finds the time to return to Belize each year to promote his music.
Luciano Rosado, Conductor, Music Clinic
“It’s not so much for promoting my music as it is to discover what talents we have here in the children.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What is it that you’re expecting from these set of students?”
Luciano Rosado
“Every year I’m surprised by the new students that come in and I’m pleased by the ones who come back. I never have any expectations, I just come with a total open mind to learn from them as much as they hope they learn from me.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Do you follow up on their progress?”
Luciano Rosado
“That’s why I come back every year.”
Twenty students are expected to attend the music clinic. The young men and women are learning how to play the brass, string and woodwind instruments.
Kevin Brown, Trumpet Student
“Well really I’m trying to be a skilled trumpet player. I really want to learn how to be a professional and hopefully it might help me later in life.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What attracted you to this instrument?”
Kevin Brown
“Ever since I was about eight years old I really wanted to play an instrument and all of the rest seems very hard except for this.”
The students will not only be working with their fingers; some will be strengthening their vocal chords.
Jacqueline Woods
“Katrina, for the past three years your father has been coming to Belize holding these clinics. But I understand for this particular session you all have decided to introduce vocal training. Why is this so?”
Katrina Rosado, Instructor, Vocal Training
“Last year when I was here we saw that karaoke was such a big hit here, and so I said, there’s so many singers in Belize, but they just don’t have the instruction that they need, so why not offer a clinic where they can come and learn how to breathe correctly and sing correctly.”
Jacqueline Woods
How many students will be attending the class?”
Katrina Rosado
“I think today we have a whole choir coming, so there’ll be like fourteen or fifteen.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And what is it that you’re expecting from these students?”
Katrina Rosado
“I understand that there’s a lot of people who can’t read music and that’s not a necessity to learn how to sing, so we’re going to do a lot of reading and just basic things to learn how to sing correctly.”
Catherine Felix, Vocal Student
“Well I’m hoping to sing more better because I have this tendency in not getting my voice heard. So I believe that this training will be beneficial to me.”
The two-hour music clinic is taking place through Friday at the House of Culture. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
Following Friday’s clinic, Rosado and a group of well known local musicians and vocalists will perform at a special jazz concert. The gala event will be held at the Princess Hotel and Casino. Tickets are on sale at the House of Culture, C.Y.’s Music and Mala’s.
