The Cable Bahamas Cares
Foundation Makes Donation to The Bahamas National Symphony Orchestra.
10/25/2010
By Jennifer Hudson
During a press conference at the Cable Bahamas
Head Office on October 25, a cheque was presented to The Bahamas
National Symphony Orchestra for the purchase of a harp to support the
orchestra’s ongoing development, especially of young musicians.
Dr. Keith Wisdom, Secretary to the Board of The Cable Bahamas Cares
Foundation, gave a short overview of the work of the Foundation and the
many donations it has made within the community. “Since its inception in
1999, The Cable Bahamas Cares Foundation, has made donations to the tune
of almost $2m in the form of grants to 324 local community organizations
and individual students. We receive many, many applications each year
and wish we could donate to all of them but that is just not possible,”
he stated. Dr. Wisdom described the decision making process as a very
difficult one into which much thought and time is invested by the panel.
Dr. Wisdom and Board Member Dr. Timothy Barrett expressed their pleasure
in being able to make the donation to The Bahamas National Symphony
Orchestra (BNSO) for the purchase of a harp. They stated that they
recognized the contribution of the Bahamas National Symphony Orchestra
to the community and were especially pleased to note the work it is
doing in the training of young musicians who will make sure that the
BNSO continues way into the future. They felt strongly that a symphony
orchestra is incomplete without a harp.
Mr. Denis Donaldson, Treasurer of The Bahamas National Symphony
Orchestra, in accepting the cheque, thanked the Cable Bahamas Cares
Foundation for its generous donation and assured the Board members that
the harp will be a great asset not only to the BNSO but also within the
wider musical field since other musical entities within The Bahamas will
be able to apply to utilize it in their concerts. Mr. Donaldson spoke of
the growth of the orchestra from its formation as the Bahamas Concert
Orchestra in 1991 by Mrs. Jennifer Hudson and how, over the years, many
young musicians have been trained and nurtured within the orchestra. The
orchestra remains dedicated to its training programmes for young people
and presently there is a programme in place where a Suzuki teacher comes
from Florida twice a month to teach the young orchestral violinists who
are indeed making excellent progress. To this programme will now be
added a harp programme and contact has already been made with a harpist
in Florida who is assisting in setting up such a programme . The goal of
the BNSO is to teach four young persons to become proficient harpists
and interested persons will be invited shortly to apply for
consideration.
Ms. Helene Peloquin, Secretary of the BNSO, also thanked the Foundation
and stated that the BNSO recognizes that this is a long term commitment
which will extend way into the future. Also present were Mrs. Jennifer
Hudson, Founder and President of the Bahamas National Symphony Orchestra
and its Conductor, Mr. Douglas Turnquest, Mr. Patrick Thompson,
President of The Nassau Music Society and Mrs. Audrey Dean Wright,
Director of the Renaissance Choir.
