Folk Singers set to entertain at Cayfest
Cayman Islands Folk Singers performing at CNB’s Christmas party
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Folk Singers will be performing their concert, Home and Away, at the Harquail Theatre on Friday, 26 February, as part of the 2016 Cayfest Festival of the Arts. The performance of this particular show, which will feature Cayman’s best-loved folk songs and kitchen dance music, will mark its first-ever inclusion at Cayfest.
As the name suggests, Home and Away will take audiences on a musical journey by sampling songs from a few of the places to which Caymanians have cultural ties.
The group, which the Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF) formed in 2009, is a company of amateur singers and musicians primarily dedicated to preserving, celebrating and propagating the musical traditions of the Cayman Islands.
In the years since its inception, the group has been showcasing Cayman’s rich musical heritage, telling “the Caymanian story” through song. The Folk Singers’ repertoire of Caymanian compositions includes music from “Aunt” Julia Hydes, as well as songs from around the region, such as from Jamaica, Belize and Guyana.
The group has performed at a number of local events, including the Cayman Islands National Museum’s anniversary celebration; the opening of Miss Lassie’s home and Heritage Watch site, Mind’s Eye; and Camana Bay’s annual Christmas Breeze concert.
CNCF artistic director Henry Muttoo explained that the preservation of culture is one of the performance group’s priorities. “It is necessary to preserve our folk music; we need to remove these songs from ‘behind the breadfruit tree’, where they were being obscured from the imaginations of our young people, and bring them centre stage for all to enjoy,” he said.
Tickets for the Cayman Islands Folk Singers’ Home and Away concert are on sale at Foster’s Food Fair in The Strand, Health Care Pharmacy in Grand Harbour, Funky Tang’s and the Harquail Theatre box office. Prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children.
For more information on Cayfest events, visit the festival’s website, call 949-5477 or email Rita Estevanovich
