{"id":3784,"date":"2017-07-04T14:45:23","date_gmt":"2017-07-04T18:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=3784"},"modified":"2017-07-23T17:34:47","modified_gmt":"2017-07-23T17:34:47","slug":"national-youth-choir-emerges-as-number-one-in-the-commonwealth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/national-youth-choir-emerges-as-number-one-in-the-commonwealth\/","title":{"rendered":"National youth choir emerges as number one in The Commonwealth"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Antigua and Barbuda National Youth Choir outperformed choirs in 51 other Commonwealth nations to emerge winners of The Commonwealth Community Choir Competition 2016.<\/p>

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The choir entered the competition last year but recently received the good news that they will share the top spot with Uganda on the African continent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited about it,\u201d exclaimed Renee Smith, Choir Director.<\/p>

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\u201cIt is a reminder that we have the potential to achieve great things as Antiguans,\u201d she said.<\/p>

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\u201cAnd we pledge to continue to raise the standard and raise it boldly,\u201d Smith added.<\/p>\n

As the winner, the national youth choir will be invited to travel to London (with all travel costs fully-funded) in Spring 2018 to perform and record the winning\u00a0music.<\/p>

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They will also take up a 12-month role as a \u201cCommonwealth Music Ambassador\u201d from Commonwealth Day\u00a02018.<\/p>\n

Before they could celebrate the choir had to perform three tasks and then make its submission electronically.<\/p>

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First, they sang The Commonwealth Anthem,<\/em> then A Song For The Commonwealth<\/em> by Simon Haw and finally a local\/national song which is inspired by the theme: \u201cMusic for Peace and Development\u201d<\/p>

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The choir chose to sing Unity with lyrics by John Hewlett and music by Dr. George Roberts.<\/p>\n