Island Real Estate BVI Blog

HLSCC

H. Lavity Stoutt Community College's five performing ensembles are promising yet another exciting night of music for the final concert of the institution's 2007-2008 Performing Arts Series, to be held on Saturday, May 31 at the College Auditorium, Paraquita Bay at 8:00 p.m.

The ensembles comprise HLSCC students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the wider community.

The two-hour concert, dubbed the College's Summer Music Fest, has become the traditional finale to the Performing Arts Series.

The five groups are led by Ms. Allison Flax-Archer (Woodwind Ensemble), Ms. Erica Wattley (Flute Choir), Mr. Arthur Selwood (Brass Ensemble), Mr. André Braithwaite (Jazz Band), and Ms. Donna Abraira (Concert Chorale). The College's ensembles are featured twice a year--in late May or early June to coincide with graduation and at Christmas time.

Vice President Dr. Karl Dawson said rehearsals for the event have begun since the start of Spring semester.

"I am very excited about the concert," he said. "This is essentially the College's music programme on show."

The HLSCC Vice President said there will be a combination of classical and jazz performances, as well as a broad genre of music spanning many centuries from as far back as the 1600s to the early 20th century and contemporary music.

He said the pieces to be performed will span not only eras, but also cultures and continents, including Africa and North and South America.

"All the music groups have been working very hard, so I expect that the concert will be an excellent event."

HLSCC international student Felix Liu will perform with the Flute Choir on the violin, making it the first time that the instrument has been used in College performances. The Flute Choir, which this year includes two stringed instruments, will perform a popular movie theme among its offerings.

One of the selections to be performed by the Jazz Band is Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Paparelli's A Night in Tunisia. The Concert Chorale will introduce an African influence with Jambo Rafiki Yangu by Montoya, as well as a number of traditional spiritual and contemporary pieces.

The local flavour is not left out either, as the Brass Ensemble will perform Arthur Selwood's arrangement of Ella Gift and Louis' Mule

Adult tickets for the concert are $10, while HLSCC and University of the West Indies students will be charged $5. Primary and high school students are admitted free.

Tickets are available at the HLSCC Paraquita Bay Campus Bookstore, the Road Town Bakery, Caribbean Insurers Ltd., Sunny Caribbee and Umi Fashions.

BVI Scuba Organisation

The British Virgin Islands SCUBA Organization and the BVI Tourist Board are thrilled to announce that they are in the process of securing and bringing this 208 ft Barquentine HOME to the waters that she sailed in for so long.

Built in 1935, for the French Navy, OISSEAU DES ISLES (Bird of the Islands) served as a cadet training ship. During World War II, she posed as a decoy, spying for the Allied Forces. She was based in Tahiti. After the war, she was used to transport cargo along the Baja coast. In 1968 she joined the Windjammer fleet.

She is 208 ft long, 32 feet wide and her draft is 16 feet. She weighed in at 400 tons (before charter guests and rum!)

Flying Cloud sailed the waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel with many thousands of loyal guests who came back year after year. The Flying Cloud, and the BVI, became HOME.

She was retired from active service in 2002. The upkeep expenses to keep her in the fleet for paying guests was prohibitive.

The Windjammer Fleet & Captain Mike Burke have always thought that she should be in the BVI waters for her retirement, and before they ceased operations this past fall, gave permission for the BVI SCUBA Organization to secure the wreck, which had already been donated to the Trinidad Museum, whom did not want it.

Kevin Rowlette of Husky Towing has volunteered to tow her from her current resting place at the dock in Port of Spain in Trinidad.

When she arrives in the BVI she will rest on the FLYING CLOUDS old hurricane mooring in Great Harbor on Peter Island while the BVI SCUBA Organization prepares her for sinking.

The VI Shipping Registry, along with the BVI Ports Authority, Conservation and Fisheries, with input from the BVI SCUBA Organization will decide on her final resting place in the territory.

Obtaining this ship truly complements our already spectacular selection of quality wreck dive spots that number at least 10 in total with the RMS Rhone, sunk by hurricane in 1867, as the Jewel in the Crown. The Flying Cloud will be another important part of that crown.

The sinking date, program, and chance to dive this historic wreck will be released as more information becomes available.

As you can imagine, there are a fair amount of costs involved with this project, so fundraising and/or donations are going to be gratefully accepted.

For more details please contact: info@bviscuba.org, go to our website or any of our participating members below.