Special Olympics to host ‘Musical delights’ fund-raising concert

If you enjoy “elegant, delightful” music, then Saturday’s ‘Musical Delights’ concert is where you should definitely be.

Hosted by the Special Olympics (St Vincent and the Grenadines), the concert will feature local and regional artistes, and is a fund-raising venture being held to assist the Vincentian Special Olympics athletes who will be attending the Special Olympics World Games in July.{{more}}

Valerie Joy Cato, who sits on the board of directors of Special Olympics SVG, is urging Vincentians to make a special effort to attend the concert as it is for a worthy cause.

“Since this venture is to place our Vincentian Special athletes on the world stage, I would really appreciate if as many persons as possible would come out to support our event.”

The concert will take place on Saturday at the Russell’s Auditorium in Stoney Ground from 8 p.m., and is being headlined by Jamaicans Sabrina Williams (vocalist) and Dr Kathy Brown (pianist). Also performing will be panist Rodney Small and the Ultimate Band, pianist Sean Sutherland, and percussionist Bertram Walker.

Williams is a singer, songwriter and actress, who has been described by critics as one of the most versatile live performers of today. She has won several awards throughout her musical career, and performed at numerous music festivals that have headlined musical giants such as Lionel Richie, Nora Jones and Boyz II Men, among others.

Brown is an outstanding pianist, jazz instrumentalist and medical doctor, and routinely captivates audiences with “pleasing jazz arrangements and delightful piano riffs.” She has performed extensively over the past 10 years in Jamaica and on the international scene — both as a solo pianist/keyboard player and with her band Kathy Brown and Friends.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT, Cato said that SVG will be represented by a delegation of 26 athletes at the Special Olympics World Games, which will take place in Los Angeles, California, from July 25 to August 2, 2015. Team SVG will compete in aquatics, athletics, bocce, football and tennis.

“Our athletes are in training… they are almost at the ready stage,” affirmed Cato. “It would be a wonderful thing for them to go out there again, and showcase St Vincent… We anticipate that this team is going to do really well in all the events that they will be taking part in.”

It has been over a decade since SVG was last represented at the Special Olympics World Games. In 2003, Special Olympics SVG took its largest ever delegation of 26 athletes and six officials to take part in the Games. The team returned with fifteen medals – three gold, six silver and six bronze.(JSV)