Paula Lindo – Our histories, stories, present, future.

The choral ensemble La Petite Musicale of Toronto celebrates 50 years of existence in 2019. Artistic Director Lindy Burgess said the anniversary will be commemorated with a series of events, including a gala dinner, a concert series and fundraising events, under the theme of Legacy Alive.

The original La Petite Musicale was started in T&T in the 1950’s by musician Olive Walke, and focused on the traditional folk music of T&T. Burgess said the Toronto branch was founded by a group of Trinidadians who migrated in the 1960s, originally as a social gathering to combat loneliness and homesickness, and the group began performing in 1967. Most of the ensemble’s concerts have been performed in Toronto, with performances throughout North America. In the late 80s and early 90s, the ensemble, along with the Toronto District School Board, hosted the Morvant/Laventille and Success Village Secondary School Youth Steelbands for a series of live performances. Burgess said “they were Panorama champs in the early 90s and we brought them up and they played in the schools, it was like the craze for wanting pan, you know you had the calypso craze where everybody wanted to sing calypso in the 50s, so I would say it was the golden age, because every school that heard those kids play wanted a steel pan. That really helped the steelpan programme, because the principals and administrators weren’t only hearing, they were both hearing and seeing. One principal actually looked at me and was in tears, and said it’s not about the quality of the music, it’s the fact that it’s delivered by children.”

 The ensemble’s shows usually include a repertoire of parang, calypso, folk, gospel, jazz, and classics. The group is especially renowned for its unique blending of pan and voices, in keeping with its mandate to continue growing while keeping connected to the legacy of the music. Burgess said the legacy has also continued in other ways, with the children and grandchildren of the original members joining the choir. There continues to be cross-cultural linkage, as Burgess said the group is influenced by another 50-year-strong ensemble, The Marionettes Chorales, especially long-time member Desmond Waithe. Other works have included co-productions with international artists such as Marvin Ishmael, Paul Keens-Douglas, Eddie Bullen, Anslem Douglas, Lord Relator, The Mighty Sparrow and Tobago’s Signal Hill Choir, among others. “Our emphasis has been on folk over the years, and our music was always supported by pan, and it gave us that Caribbean flavour. We’ve released four albums – Caribfolk, Through the Seasons, Christmas All Year and Levanta.”

Burgess said the group is accustomed to having sold out audiences at their performances and credits their loyal followers with their success. He said their Christmas concerts are usually the highlight of their year, as “there are a lot of West Indians who are looking for something that reminds them at home. Of course the audiences also welcome the opportunity to dress up in their furs and come out to lime.”

The gala dinner, which takes place at the end of April, will feature a folk presentation, a tribute to Walke and an awards ceremony. Burgess said the aim is to make it an elegant, dazzling affair. The celebrations will continue with a series of summer outdoor performances in July and August and three major concerts in November and December, including two in Toronto and one in Ottawa. Burgess said “we also want to be a part of that Caribbean Carnival. We’re looking to do a show with some artistes from Trinidad, with the likes of Paul Keens Douglas, Marvin Ishmael, Lord Relator and so on.”

There will also be three major social fundraising activities: a bus excursion in June, the La Petite annual reunion in August and a Summer-Que in September. A highlight of the celebrations is the creation of a commemorative publication which chronicles some of the major events over the 50 years of the group’s existence. Burgess said “we’ve done quite a bit of research to ensure that it’s a very balanced coverage of what reflects the 50 years as it was and not any perception nor mis-information, so we’re going through it with a fine-tooth comb to be sure that the material is all facts and not fiction.”

For more information on La Petite Musicale of Toronto’s 50^th Anniversary celebrations, email lapetitemusicale@gmail.com.