Monday March 25th: Anointed and Appointed
March 25, 2024
Tuesday March 26th: Surely, not I Lord
March 26, 2024
Liam Gooding placed First in the Boys Vocal Solo 16–19 category of the biennial Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival 2024. In 2022, he placed First in the Boys Vocal Solo 13–15. As a pupil of Sacred Heart Boys’ RC, he along with Francisco Jardine placed third in the 3A boys Under 11. It was the first time the school participated in the competition. The Catholic News spoke to Gooding about his win at the Music Festival and love of singing.
Q. How did you feel when you were announced winner of the 16–19 category? What was the piece that had to be performed? What is your vocal range?
A. I was very pleased with the outcome and grateful to God, especially given the quality of my competition. My peers helped me to push myself to raise my performance. The piece was titled ‘Gifts’ by JPB Dobbs. Within the choir, I sing baritone, but sometimes I am able to surprise myself hitting first tenor notes as I did when I was much younger. I’ve never really tested the exact limits of my range.
Q. Share the preparation for the competition, advice given. You would have been preparing for the music festival while also preparing for exams. You are also on the school’s football team. What other activities are you involved in? Share the balancing of it all.
A. During my years of vocal training with Ms Noelle Archer and Holistic Music School, I was taught the skill of sight-singing, meaning I was able to figure out the melody of the song on my own. Then it was just to practise, taking criticism from Mr (Kwesi) Noel, Mrs Cumberbatch, Ms Archer, and my peers on breathing techniques and how to place my notes to improve my performance. Within Fatima, I have been/continue to be a part of the football team, the basketball team, the choir, the rhythm section/drumming ensemble, the Mystical Rose prayer group, and I’ve also represented the college in table tennis and badminton tournaments following in my brothers’ footsteps. I have been able to balance these activities as well as my academics through good time management and trying to give my all in every undertaking.
Q. This was not your first participation in the Music Festival. How was the first experience, learnings?
A. My first Music Festival was back in 2016 under the tutelage of Mrs Michelle Diaz at Sacred Heart Boys’ RC School. I remember being extremely nervous and in awe of the whole idea of a Music Festival and performing on such a big
stage. Over the years, I have taken part in many other classes, including vocal (as a soloist and within a choir under Fatima College and Sacred Heart Boys’) and instrumental (pan and piano under Holistic Music School). Music Festival has definitely made me a better performer, especially with the invaluable feedback from the adjudicators, as well as the healthy competition the Festival promotes. It’s best said in their mission statement: “The goal is not to win a prize, nor defeat a rival, but to pace one another on the road to excellence”.
Q. Share with our readers how you ended up becoming involved in singing at your school and your enjoyment of singing? What kind of music do you like, name a couple of your favourite songs?
A. Music has been a huge part of my family life. It has always been something that we have done together. My mother enrolled all of us in piano lessons at the age of 5, and I really just followed the example of my older brothers, in joining the choir and that’s really where I began to love singing. But my earliest memories of performing were in little Christmas concerts my brother used to organise when I was about 3! My siblings have all taken part in competitions such as SANFEST, but in Music Festival, myself, my older brother Nicholas, and my younger sister Christina have won 17 trophies between us. We also have a family Parang group that serves as a testament to our love of music. I listen to a wide variety of music, both local and foreign. I wouldn’t say I have favourite or artiste. I just like music.
Q. Are you involved in singing with your church choir? Is singing something you will continue to do or is it just a ‘school thing’?
A. With regards to performing within Sacred Heart Boys’, I would’ve taken part in the 180th anniversary celebrational concert, as well as numerous performances with the school choir and parang band, including performances in Long Circular and Trincity Mall. With Fatima, my brothers and I have been a part of almost every iteration of the annual Gifts of Blue and Gold production. And as mentioned before, our Parang band ‘La Familia de la Parranda’ has been performing for almost a decade. Nicholas and I, along with our cousin, Matthew Newallo have performed with Holistic Musical School’s ensemble: ‘Holistic X’ at numerous events including Carifesta in 2019. My siblings and I are a part of the Holy Cross youth choir, and we sing at every 4th Sunday Mass. I’d love to continue singing, even after I’ve graduated. Whether as a career or a just a hobby, I am not yet sure. But I do know that I’ve been blessed with this talent, so it is my duty to use it.
Q. Would you say being at Fatima College allows students to develop a range of talents?
A. Fatima College is an environment where students can discover their talents, due to our wide variety of extra-curricular activities, extending from the arts and music to sport, but also in other spheres. Fatima has a debate club, a chess club, an aviation club, a Sea Scout troop, and even an astrology club. It is indeed an institution that encourages the holistic development of its students.
