Renditions from the Messengers and J4 Inspiration filled the Umana Yana on Tuesday at the award of prizes to the winning choirs in the first ever National Choral Song Festival.
Meanwhile, plans were announced for a song festival in September, in which Amerindian groups would sing in their various languages.
The six winning groups in the January 13 festival, which was held at the National Cultural Centre were awarded their cash prizes and trophies along with copies of a book called “One Hundred Folk Songs of Guyana”.
New Amsterdam Secondary School, Saska Heraldiers and Brickdam Cathedral choirs were awarded $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000, respectively with trophies in the large groups’ category.
In the small groups’ category, Messengers, J4 Inspiration and Circle of Love took away $200,000, $125,000 and $75,000 along with trophies.
Messengers performed “Life in the Country”, while J4 sang “His Eye is on the Sparrow” during the ceremony.
Music Development Officer in the Ministry of Culture, Andrew Tyndall explained