Students display drumming skills at Heart Beat 8

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - STUDENTS of schools around the island exhibited their skills and talent on Thursday evening when they participated in the eight annual drumming expo dubbed “Heart Beat”.

The event was held at the Old Boys’ School located at Victoria Road under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture.

The children, under the leadership of the drumming expert attached to the Ministry of Culture, Royd Phipps, drummed their hearts out to the pleasure and entertainment of their family members, friends and supporters present at the event.

Among the education institutions that participated in the event were the Dr. William Connor Primary School, Irishtown Primary School, Basseterre High School, Special Education Unit and the Dean Glasford Primary School. There were also performances from Ken Balentine, the Defence Force Drummers, Okolo Tegramantine Drummers, Masud Sadiki and Calabash, as well as Mick Stokes on the kittle and drum.  ~~Adz:Right~~

Some of the schools were accompanied by Nigel ‘Numpy’ Williams who, on his trumpet, played a number of classics including “Summer Time”.

Phipps told SKNVibes that the event was an overwhelming success. 

He said that drumming was an integral part of “our ancestors’ existence” and it is one tradition that Kittitians and Nevisians should endeavour to keep alive. Phipps explained that this is one of the main reasons for his passion for the drumming art form and for the need to impress the importance of it upon young people.