Acquaintances to Remember

Date for Entry: (Friday 27th - Sat. 28th; December, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 15th June, 2021)

 

Dear Diary,

    Today I stayed up Tunapuna after the long Boxing Day celebration down in Princess Town. Around mid-morning, a friend of mom and papa came to visit them. I played him a few songs at first through he seemed like he didn’t really pay attention o cared so I just looked to finish the song and move the pan back inside.  

    I didn't know what they were talking about as I packed away and guy seemed strange so I went away inside. He even wanted me to help his son. But I can’t do that. I didn't know how to fulfil the request coming. He left soon after and said he would come back the next day.

    The next day, mom and Papa friend, Mr. Singh from yesterday, came back with his son. He took us to Trincity. Meanwhile, mom and I went to R.I.K. Bookstores and she bought me a Piano Course Book. Took me a while  to walk out the bookstore after seeing all the good literature.

    I had to carry papa up the stairs to use the wash room. He took a while to get up the stairs. On coming back, he couldn’t make to come down the escalators. There were too much eyes on him and especially me. I realized that I had make a mistake by coming down first. His sick foot couldn’t move and he eventually moved and came down. We walked back to the new wing where mom and the other two boys were. 

    While leaving the Mall, there were two times that Mr. Sing had passed two different roads to take us back home. Then He took us to his home in the Southern part of UWI. He had a beautiful garden with fruit trees. I drank four coconuts of water. Papa drank one and mom ate the jelly. After, he cut some green fruit that looked like apples. I can’t spell the name but it sounds like dongs.   

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Steelpan Nightmare

 Date for Entry: (Tuesday 17th December, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 15th June, 2021)

 Dear Diary,

    Today was my Tenor pan's 'Bought Day'. The reason I said Bought day was because it was bought and was not born. But as dad was carelessly holding the pan case he dropped it on the concrete floor. This was hurtful. The F5 or C5 was not correct in sound and the Bb4 was gone altogether. I took it and put back the pan into the pan case. 

    The next day, mom paid Mr. Lewis $250.00 to carry my Tenor pan to fix and tune. It was something very hard to do because I was worried that the pan wouldn’t fix. I hope it returns soon.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Aramalaya Christmas Concert (2013)

Date for Entry: (Sunday 15th December, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 15th June, 2021)

Dear Diary,

    Today was the Christmas Concert in Church. Every group must come together and put on a show for the Congregation. My part was most exciting because I was in the Pan section. Some of the songs I played was with the Golden Years and one-piece with Joshua. 

The songs played were: 

• While Shepherds watched their flocks by Night
• Once in David’s City
• Joy to the World
• We Three Kings – (By Joshua & I alone)
• Doxology

 

    The morning continued lovely and the people enjoyed it. The scores used for this event was not saved.

Link(s):

1. Aramalaya Carol Service (2013) Program.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali 

Decision-making

 Date for Entry: (Wednesday 4th December, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 15th June, 2021)

Dear Diary,

    Today was the day for Hillview College’s Christmas Concert. It is difficult to sit rom morning until lunchtime in the Hall sitting and sometimes watch students spoil the show if they take the chance. I didn't go. Instead, I stayed home and put some work into a personal project that I was doing at the time.

    I was still glad to take the chance and save a copy of the program that was about to throw away. Looking down at the programme I saw that the Steel Ensemble was going to play. I hope that their performance was good if they still had a song done. 

    Somehow our group around this time was witnessing a slack including with the teacher too. We were not on strike but performances for services and school functions were quite quiet.

Link(s):

1. Hillview's Carol Concert - Program.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

DCFA Steelpan Exams (Grade 2)

 Date for Entry: (Saturday 23rd November, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Monday 14th June, 2021)

Dear Diary,

    Today in the afternoon at 4:00pm was the judging for my Graded Performances for Solo Steelpan Examinations in Grade 2. Dr. Remy came to accompany me and I knew that even though we had some mistakes we were both able to get to the end of the pieces. I didn’t let that tie me up.

    After this, I raced off to church from DCFA with my Tenor pan because I was going to be late for the Christmas Concert practice. Joshua and I were both representing the Youth Group with a pan piece of “We three Kings”. It was a duet. 

    While practising, I had missed my pan by another and Joshua had to play mine. Unfortunately, that pan I was playing was a ‘High C pan’ and I was not accustomed to playing it. But I was just fine since I knew where all the notes were arranged. I just had to watch out for that little difference in the pan.

    Along with practice with the pan piece, I had played along with the Aramalaya Golden Years Fellowship Pan Group.

Link(s):

1. Grade 2 Tenor Pan Examination Booklet (2012-2014).
2. Results & Official Certificate.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Grade 2 Pan Examination (Rehearsal)

 Date for Entry: (Friday 22nd November, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Monday 4th June, 2021)

 Dear Diary,

    Today I had to walk down the hill from school as soon as it was over because I was going to Trinity East with mom. Rameez had given us a ride to the school and I sipped on some nice icy cold Apple J. He was playing the song “Radioactive” at the time. It sounded better to me because the doors were all closed.

    On arriving at the school at the front building, mom and I walked down to the main entrance of the school. It looked exactly like in Trincity Mall. I met Elizabeth from Mr Lewis’ lessons. She helped us get a Tenor pan to go to the Music classroom. Along the way, I saw Denesia and Jeremiah from when I played at Starlift Steel Orchestra.

    I practised my pieces well with Dr Remy. She didn’t find I had any problems. The only problem I personally worried about was the timing because she was there to accompany me. She said that she was only going to play the Bass staff instead of both on the Piano. I had to listen up and pay attention to how she did and fit in everything I had to do. 

    In one of the pieces “Improvisation II,” Dr Remy had taught me how to swing on the notes. I appreciated this private lesson and tip very much. The piece had said to 'swing' and all the time in practice with Mr Lexis, we were playing it as normal (without swing). It was sounding more Jazzy style than before. Today was also the day that dad had retired from his job.

Link(s):

1. Grade 2 Tenor Pan Examination Booklet (2012-2014).

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

New Books to Collection

 Date for Entry: (Wednesday 9th October, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Monday 14th June, 2021)

Dear Diary,

    Today dad went to Simon’s Music World to purchase three Grade 4 Past Papers. Mr. Lewis sent him because he had run out of his bunch of past papers to quiz me. I got a sad ‘pass’ of sixty-seven (67) in the Grade 4 exam I did at St. Georges. So, this is my "Season 2" of Grade 4 . Let’s hope two brings the distinction. 

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Evening of Elegance

Date for Entry: (Unknown/Forgotten; Saturday)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Monday 14th June, 2021)

Dear Diary,

    Today was the Annual Tea Party and Fashion Show that Aunty Hermie had designed for at the Belmont Secondary School. It was in the School’s Gym and I had set up my Pan and Keyboard at the front to perform. In the beginning, I had to play the National Anthem and Mom had to be their Master of Ceremonies. 

The songs that I played were:

• The National Anthem of Trinidad & Tobago
• Besame Mucho
• Jesu Joys of Man’s Desiring
• Sound of Silence
• Human Nature
• Titanic

 

Link(s):

1. "Evening of Elegance" Program.

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Farewells to Grandma Grace

 Date for Entry: (Friday 4th October, 2013)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 15th June, 2021)

 Dear Diary,

    Today was the funeral for Grandma Grace. I also missed my 40% Spanish Exam. The day was cool and gradually began to increase in temperature. I had to play for Grama when she arrived in her Casket. I sat down first. I didn’t look at her because I was nervous to play in front of people. My hand began to start shaking. Either two or three pieces were played. I had packed back the pan in the case and then I went over to see her with mom. before sitting again.

    I’m not going to forget her because the imagination to which Jesus had taught me to manipulate certainly helps me to bring her back whenever I may need her. But she’s always there somewhere with the others looking around.

    During the Church Service, Aunty Hermie and Aunty Macky from Mt. Hope came. I was happy to see them since a long time had passed since I didn’t see them. Then Dad and Andrew came and sat. Mom and I were in the front seat of the second row as usual. 

    Aunty Annmarie gave the Eulogy and it was touching and inspiring at the same time. It told me that education is a very important thing and that it is hard to get an education even though it is so important to have. But the part that she said how Grama Grace’s Husband found her was touching to my heart. I wished that could happen in an experience for me. 

    At Belgrove's Aunty Sharmine brought Papa, Aja and Aje to the cremation service. Mom took the four of them to see her and the others watched. Towards the end,  Dad and Andrew left they wanted to carry me up Curepe with them but I didn’t want to go. So then mom had to step in to help me with the fight.

    Uncle Cristy and Uncle Shane had enjoyed me laying the pan in the family home living room. I could remember before I played Suhanni Raat for Uncle Cristy, he didn’t believe me and then he said again that if I can play Suhani Raat, I can play anything. Then Trudy came in and said, “Like yuh real know yuh Indian songs, boy?” 

    Then Mark’s wife had found out from mom that I was going to ask to play at their wedding. She said that she "had wanted pan at her wedding but she didn’t know I could play". Later that evening, I fell asleep from about five o'clock to eight o’clock in the backroom by Grama House. Then I woke up to go home and the twins had helped me up away from the pan. I felt really tired I could walk properly.

Link(s): 

1. Grama Grace Funeral Programme.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali