The biennial T&T Music Festival will not be held this year because of a series of administrative problems.The lack of a festival organising committee is one of the reasons put forward for the cancellation of the premier music competition, which has been a part of the national vision for promoting music since its inception in 1947.The festival has been a vehicle for showcasing the talent and prowess of both children and adults throughout the country.Contacted on Monday, interim committee chairman Lincoln Warner said, "The Music Festival Association is faced with administrative problems, so a decision was made to cancel."We just didn't have time to organise. A meeting is to be held in March to plan an election. We are the interim committee, which is just setting up things for someone else to take over."
However, the decision has upset those in the fraternity who were preparing to showcase their talent on the platform.Choirmistress and musical director of Bishop Anstey High School choir, Lorraine Granderson, said: "It is very distressing to think that a festival that has been run successfully for so many years will not be happening this year."It is upsetting for all the young people who look forward to this music festival to participate in competition, pace themselves, challenge themselves, will be denied this opportunity," she said."What is even more stressful is that there are some children for whom this would have been their last festival, and for others this would have been their first and only festival."I really hope that the T&T Music Festival Association never allows this to ever happen again. Helen May Johnstone must be turning in her grave. She was one of the people who lobbied to see this festival grow to the heights it has reached."
But Jocelynne Sealy, a former festival manager and secretary of the Music Festival for 15 years, said the interim body had no choice in the matter."The cancellation was absolutely necessary, as a lot of internal challenges arose. Right now, the festival secretariat has no home and stuff is stored all over the place. The preparation just has not been put in place."Describing herself as former chief cook and bottlewasher for the festival, Sealy said a manual had been written that could have been followed to stage all festivals, "but was not followed." Sealy is also the author of a festival syllabus.Andre Mangatal, the overall male champion of the festival, commented: "I am disappointed because the festival does help upcoming musicians greatly, particularly in classical music. I hope that the parties involved can come together and sort it out so that things like this will not happen in the future."