Corporate Area performing arts powerhouse Ardenne High School was the big winner on the first day of the Festival of the Performing Arts national Finals in Music held at the Little Theatre in St Andrew on April 28.
Ardenne swept a total of seven national titles on the first day which saw a wide range of performances ranging from classical piano to sacred, spiritual, Gospel, and Jamaican Patriotic works for solos, ensembles and choirs in the execiting competition staged by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).
The seven winning performances were Best Class 5 Vocal Sacred Choir, Best Class 5 Vocal Classical Choir, Best Class 7 Vocal Classical Choir, Best Class 5 Vocal Spiritual Solo, Best Class 5 Vocal Spiritual Ensemble, Best Class 6 Vocal Spiritual Solo and Best Class 5 Gospel Choir.
Choir director at Ardenne Ojea Sheckleford described the win as humbling and a testament to the age-old  mantra that hard work does indeed pay off.
“I was once a student at Ardenne and it is really refreshing to have moved from that perspective  and now directing the choir and being able to advance this level of excellence. I have a long-term goal and dream to take the Ardenne choir on tour overseas – the Caribbean, North America – wherever the opportunity presents itself. We have been doing so well at JCDC and other local competitions so my eyes are now looking to international opportunities,” said Sheckleford.
The St Andrew High School for Girls was another big winner bagging title for Best Class 7 Vocal Sacred Choir, Best Class 4 Gospel Solo and Best Class 5 Gospel Solo. Dinthill Technical High School From St Catherine won two Awards Best Class 7 Gospel Ensemble and Best Class 7 Gospel Choir. Old Harbour High School, also from St Catherine, also went home with two national titles – Best Class 5 Gospel Ensemble and Best Class 4 Vocal Classical Solo.
Two students from Western Tutorial Music Studio from St James – Nathan Smith and Mishka Bowen were also the winners in the pianoforte category for the competition. Smith won for Class 4 Piano Solo whole Bowen took the Class 5 title.
The day’s other winners were Shawn Myrie and Joshua Brown of Jamaica College who won the Best Class 4 Piano Duet; Austin Xiang of Hillel Academy took the Best Class 3 Piano Solo; Montego Bay High School won for the Best Class 7 Vocal Sacred Ensemble, El Instituto de Mandevilla in Manchester won the trophy for Best Class 7 Vocal Ensemble; Irwin High School from St James was awarded Best  Class 5 Vocal Spiritual Choir and Rusea’s High School form Hanove was named Best Class 5 Jamaican Patriotic Choir.
The National Finals in Music continues at the Little Theatre on April 29, but will take a break and  resume on May 6 and 8.