Date for Entry: (Friday 13th January 2023)
Actual Date of Online Entry: (Saturday 14th January 2023)
Dear Diary,
Today was the service for Reverend
Anthony Rampersad who past away on Tuesday evening. I was ready by eight and as
soon as I was about to put on my shoes Mr. Sharma called me and said he was
heading up my road to get me. Everyone playing in the band had assembled in our
church compound at Aramalaya to go down.
It seemed as if many of us including
myself were going down to Susamachar Presbyterian Church for the first time. I
sat in the front seat with sir and everyone else drove in the back through the
back road from Pasea to the highway and down into San Fernando. The ride was a long
one but it was nice to see San Fernando. It was a long while since I went there
for the South Family Boxing Day lime. Many things I learned on that trip.
Pulling up into the yard, I was
glad that nervous and did not pull in me so much. I knew it was a different church
we were going to. As we walked into the sanctuary, I was amazed at the
architecture and craftwork. Throughout the service, the environment felt very
special. I knew I was finally in a church for once. I had a lot of difficulties
trying to stay awake. Even on the ride coming down, I had more fighting to do.
The band was gathered to have a
short practice of the two pieces on the Susamachar steelpan instruments before the
practice. It was only our band from Aramalaya playing for the service. I learned
that the instruments have been there since 1994 in the church and were crafted
by Mr. Bertrand Kellman. I took a look to see what the seven bass pan looked like
but only by glance because we had to leave quickly.
We were told that some of them were
slightly different and that we would need time to adjust. I had to switch the bore
tenor pan on the end with a regular one but the sound was better, although the
strings for the stand caused the barrel to be twisted to the left too much.
The two songs played for the
service were “The Prayer” arranged by Zara and “Oceans” that I had arranged. A
second run of both songs was done when a Mr. Bally came. The ending was nailed
well in the practice for “Oceans”. Sadly, “The Prayer” was not recorded in the YouTube
video at the start and there was an interruption in the “Oceans” causing the complex
ending to collapse on itself.
Form 6 students from Hillview in
their formal wear led the processional with Hillview’s flag, while the National
Presbyterian Choir sang “Be Still My Soul” from a highly inclined seating
arrangement. The choice of tempo was very nice and the execution by the
vocalists. I loved the echo in the church.
At the end of the service, I had
covered back the tenor pans. It reminded me of my Form 5 days in Hillview when
the school found the coverings they had for their steelpans. I took some time looking
at the manuscript paper with music on it and sang solfege in fixed doh (in F
major). I left my phone in the car and could not take a picture of it.
Just before leaving San Fernando
(at 3:02 pm), we stopped by a barbeque place and the sun was barbequing us too.
I got home and finally sat on the couch some minutes after four. The phone was
buzzing with some of the events for the day. I took the recordings made by
parents and others to make a separate video.
Link(s):
- Images from the Day.
- Service Programme.
- Funeral Service.
- Cremation Ceremony.
- Private Performance Recording. **
Daryl Zion M. Ali
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