AMPP SLU Soca Training Workshop for Artistes and Judges
By AMPP SLU
As the island gears up for a number of National Carnival events and Competitions, among them the popular Groovy and Power Soca Monarch competitions, a two-day training program is scheduled that will seek to better prepare participants and judges for these activities.
Hosted by the Association of Musicians, Performers and Producers of Saint Lucia (AMPP SLU), the training exercise is designed to develop competencies where Soca music is concerned and upgrade the standard of performance and adjudication of the Groovy & Power Soca competitions in Saint Lucia. This workshop is embraced by the Judges Association of St. Lucia of which the majority of their members will be participating.
The activity, which is being funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Industries, the Carnival Planning and Management Committee CPMC) and the Carnival Music Management Committee (CMMC) will be held this weekend June 10 & 11, 2023. The facilitator for the exercise will be Dr. Josephine Torrel-Brown of Trinidad & Tobago.
Dr. Josephine Torrel-Brown is an educator, researcher, musician and consultant who possesses a doctorate in Cultural Studies from the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), a Master of Philosophy (MPHIL) degree in Cultural Studies from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Musical Arts (UWI). She has served as an adjudicator for a number of competitions in Trinidad & Tobago including the International Soca Monarch as well as Grenada’s Soca Monarch, earning her role as the Chief Adjudicator of the prestigious International Soca Monarch Competition and the National Schools Soca Monarch Competition in Trinidad and Tobago. Her experience has taken her to other countries in the region and also in the United Kingdom as a guest of honour and facilitator, amongst other key roles in various seminars and training workshops.
According to AMPP SLU, they are fortunate to have someone as accomplished and highly esteemed as Dr. Torrel-Brown, to share in her wealth of knowledge and expertise with the participants. Attendees will be exposed to the fundamentals of music composition, performance, music analysis and adjudication.
The Soca Training Workshop will be held at the National Skills Development Centre (NSDC) in Bisee, Castries. Day one, Saturday June 10, will be a seminar for Soca artistes, particularly participants for the upcoming Soca competitions. A workshop on day two June 11, will cater for judges for the Soca competitions.
The response for participation in this weekend’s Soca training exercise organizers say, has been overwhelming and they are looking forward to a stimulating and rewarding exercise aimed essentially at “Taking Soca to Higher Heights”.
