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Bahamas Children's Choir Swings Through Belize
posted (June 28, 2007)

In 17 years they've been to Cuba, Ghana, Atlanta, New York City, Washington, and to Russia twice and today the Nahamas National Children's Choir came to Belize. The choir arrived on a Carnival cruise ship from Nassau, Bahamas for a performance for primary school students at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. 7NEWS was there.

Keith Swift Reporting,
A rendition of Frankie Reneau"s "Welcome to Belize" was what greeted the 28 members of the Bahamas National Children's Choir when they arrived at the bliss center this morning. And perhaps no welcome was more fitting since the choir came to the bliss and to Belize to perform. Patricia Bazard is the choir's director.

Patricia Bazard, Director - BNCC
"This is part of our annual concert tour and when I heard Belize, and we were checking out all the areas with the cruise ships, I said Belize because I have been exposed to some persons from Belize before, working with CARICOM and the directors of cultures, and was very impressed and I am sure it will be an experience for the kids, an educational experience because as well as sharing our culture, we want our children to learn something about other countries and about other cultures themselves. So it is just wonderful to hear the children at the beginning and it made them feel at home. Some of them said they sound like us and I said of course because they are like you."

The choir was formed in 1990, it became the Bahamas National Children's Choir two years later. There are 70 members ranging in ages from 5 to 17. 13-year-old Alea Sweeting has been in the choir for only a year while 11-year-old Trevor Benjamin has been with the choir from since he was 6 years old.

Trevor Benjamin, Member of BNCC
"We get to learn different facts about different countries, go to new places."

Alea Sweeting, Member of BNCC
"It is very interesting, we get to learn about new things, new countries about their nationalities and everything."

Trevor Benjamin,
"I've been in the choir, this is my sixth year and what made me join is that when I was small I used to sing a lot and so my parents thought that I should join the choir."

11-year-old Christian Goff and 13-year-old Khadjih Reneau also love singing. They were in the ad hoc choir which performed for the Bahamian group and for both, today was a learning experience.

Khadjih Reneau, St. Luke's Methodist School
"I feel very good that they met the Belizean choir also. I hope to learn a lot."

Christian Goff, Ebenezer Methodist School
"I hope to learn that practice makes perfect and to see what is about happen. I feel very good. I think they'll do a good job."

But that good job is hard work. The choir performed for 45 minutes this morning. Choir director Bazard says there is more to their success than just talent.

Patricia Bazard,
"We see the children's choir as a training ground for our children because in the children's choir we focus not only on music. We focus on decorum and the way they should act. We have seminars and persons coming in to talk to them as simple as how you should sit and eat; which fork to use, which glass, and that sort of thing. These kinds of things are very important to them. When they travel they get to see other people and realize that I am not alone in the world, there are other people just like me and they are able to appreciate their own country, appreciate what their parents are doing for them, appreciate what is happening in their country because they see the same thing going on elsewhere."

The choir travels only once per year. Next year they plan to tour some of the smaller islands of the Bahamian archipelago. In 2009 - they will visit China.

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