Marabella,
Trinidad & Tobago, WI -
The preliminary round of the ninth edition of
the Talent Expression competition
organised by the Southern Marines Steelband
Foundation and held Saturday 24th
October at the Southern Marines Pan Palais,
Marabella was of such a high standard that
all twenty-six contestants - including
technically superb panist Opal Murrel - have
been included in the semi finals to be held at
the same venue on Saturday 7th
November. Twelve finalists will be chosen, then,
to contest the finals on Saturday 21st
November.
Leading the race into the
semi-finals is veteran calypsonian James
“Durango” Samuels followed closely by jazz
singer Kerlene Joseph and pop vocalist Marsha
Cagan. But the smart money knows that there is
many a slip between the cup and the lip and that
early form does not necessarily reveal eventual
winners. Much attention is being paid to the
fortunes of dramatist Gregory Sherwood, dynamic
ten year old soca star Ferdinand Smith and
technically superb panist Opal Murrel.
The leading ten going into
the semis also include dance duo cousins Ferrone
Rostant and Derron Griffith, duet vocalists
Roxanne Singh and Anthony Callender, Talent
Expression veteran Nigel O’Connor and the
thrilling Princes Town singer Melissa Phillip.
The draw for positions for
the semi final will take place on Saturday
October 31st 2009 at the Southern
Marines Pan Palais at 5:00 p.m.
Talent Expression is open to
performance artistes and has more than TT
$36,000 in prize money at stake with a first
prize of TT $5,000.
More info: contact
Rae Samuel at 1 (868) 774-9110
From the
news desk of:
Southern
Marines
Steelband
Foundation
