By RIA TAITT Saturday, April 14 2007

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ISLAND IN THE SUN: Not many people know there exist a small Island off Kings Wharf, San Fernando called "Flat Rock." Here the island is seen at sunse...

Despite already having a functional, well established and highly-rated Youth National Orchestra, Government has decided to establish a large brass band comprising young musicians.

Towards this end, it has placed an advertisement in the newspapers for a bandleader, musicians and vocalists “to be part of the renaissance of formal, elegant ballroom dancing to live music”.

A Government source said yesterday that musicians would be interviewed, auditioned and selected by a team of experienced instrumentalists, headed by Major Edward Daniel Wade.

The source stated that the Government which was continually seeking to find ways to expand the options available to the nation’s youth, decided that one of its interventions should be the establishment of a live musical band. It will be “playing music for dancing, but in a way that is attractive and acceptable to young people,” the source stated.

The source said the Government is committed to providing financial support to the band for a period of time, but the long-term objective is that the band should be economically viable.

The band would be available for hire (“as any other band in the country is”) for private and public functions.

The advertisement states that applications must be submitted to the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, Whitehall, by April 17.

The advertisement stated that vacancies exist in the various sections, including saxophone, trumpet, trombone; rhythm and percussion sections, and for male and female vocalists.

It said applicants should, among other things be able to read music proficiently, be well groomed and disciplined, and must be between the ages of 18 and 45. Applications in writing must be submitted no later than April 17, to the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, Whitehall, 29 Maraval Road, Port-of-Spain.

The source stressed that this initiative had nothing to do with the $148M expansion of the Prime Minister’s residence, which includes a $55M Diplomatic Centre.

However responding to criticisms of the renovation of the PM’s official residence, the source pointed out that the Diplomatic Centre will be considered a public area. “The public will have access to that centre,” the source said, adding that supervised visits to the centre would be allowed.

“If for instance a school wants to come and visit, this would be allowed by all means.

“Alternatively the Centre may be open to the public at certain times of the day,” the source explained.