The Marionettes Chorale

History

The Marionettes was initially formed to compete in the 1964 Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival, and claims to be the first choir formed after the islands' independence in 1962. The group competed intermittently in the local Music Festival until 1980, and retired unbeaten. They were awarded the prize for the Most Outstanding Choir each time they competed, and other awards included the May Johnstone Commemorative Trophy for the Most Outstanding Performer of the Festival.

Between 1981 and 1992, the choir competed internationally at choral festivals in the United Kingdom: Llangollen, Wales (1981); Cork, Ireland (1984); and Middlesbrough, England (1992), winning four prizes. In addition to competitive tours, the Chorale also completed non-competitive tours in the Caribbean (Curaçao, Grenada, St Vincent, Barbados, Jamaica), and in North America and Central America (New York, Toronto, Montreal, Miami, Philadelphia Washington DC, and Costa Rica). The Marionettes have performed at venues including St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, the York Assembly Rooms, and the Hall of the Americas in Washington; and for dignitaries including Lord Browne and Colin Powell, delegates from CARICOM, the Organization of American States and the British Commonwealth.

In 1995, the choir founded a Youth Chorale for young singers aged 11-26, from over 30 local schools. The Youth Chorale is also supported by bpTT. In 2001, the Chorale began a fund-raising campaign to build its own rehearsal and performance hall, and formalised its status as a non-profit organisation in 2005.

The Chorale produces at least two major productions per year in Trinidad & Tobago, in the middle of the year and in December, usually at the Queen's Hall in Port of Spain. It also presents concerts in aid of local charities, and guests at local events. In 2008-09, it celebrated its 45th anniversary, and 35 years of leadership by Taylor, Dore and Mendes.

Repertoire

The Marionettes' repertoire includes Western Classical music, opera, musical theatre, indigenous folk music, African-American spirituals, popular classics, and world music.

Composers who have dedicated works to the choir include Dr. Havelock Nelson, Stewart Hylton Edwards and Alma Pierre.

The Chorale was among the first to blend voices with the steel pan (aka steel drum) in the 1960s, and have performed with the following steel orchestras: Pan Am North Stars, Trinidad All Stars, Renegades, Renegades Youth Orchestra, Desperadoes and Skiffle Bunch. They have premiered several choral works in the Caribbean, including: Carmina Burana (Orff); Fanshawe’s African Sanctus; Ralph Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs, Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols; Francis Poulenc’s Gloria; Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts and Leonard Bernstein’s Missa Brevis and Chichester Psalms.

Recordings

Tours

Awards

Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival

International prizes