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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
After participating in the Bahamas Independence Church Service held at the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), 1518 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on Sunday, July13, as the featured choir, members of the Bahamas National Youth Choir are pictured with His Excellency Dr. Eugene Newry, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States, and his wife, Mrs. Francoise Torchon Newry. At their left is Bahamas Consul General to Washington, D.C., Mrs. Paulette Zonicle, and next to her is Rev. Don Darius Butler, who was the guest preacher. Directly behind Ambassador and Mrs. Newry is Mr. Chet Neymour, Deputy Chief of Mission, Bahamas Embassy. At far left in front row is Bahamas National Youth Choir Director Cleophas Adderley.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Bahamas National Youth Choir took the Washington, D.C., area by storm over the weekend with a series of performances that were highlights of events planned by the Bahamas Embassy and Consular Annex to celebrate the 41st anniversary of The Bahamas’ attainment of independence.
More than 150 Bahamians living in the Washington metropolitan area, friends of The Bahamas and other special invited guests joined His Excellency Dr. Eugene Newry, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States, Mrs. Paulette Zonicle, Consul General to Washington, D.C., and other Bahamian diplomatic officers at the official independence anniversary reception held at the St. Regis Hotel, 923 16th and K Streets, N.W., in downtown Washington on Friday evening.
The Bahamas National Youth Choir performing at the official independence anniversary reception held at the St. Regis Hotel, 923 16th and K Streets, N.W., in downtown Washington on Friday evening.
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They were welcomed by Consul General Zonicle, who also read an Independence Message from Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling. Prior to brief remarks by Ambassador Newry, an Independence Message from Prime Minister Perry Christie was read by Miss Krissy Hanna, Second Secretary/Vice Consul, Bahamas Embassy, and an Independence Message from Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell was read by Mr. Mikhail Bullard, Third Secretary/Vice Consul, Bahamas Embassy.
Guests were served with an assortment of native Bahamian cuisine, but the highlight of the evening was a magnificent performance by The Bahamas National Youth Choir, under the direction of Cleophas Adderley. Dressed in their colourful native attire, they kicked-off their performance with a variety of traditional Bahamian songs and a spine-tingling rendition of The Bahamas National Anthem.
The independence celebrations continued on Saturday, July 12, when more than 200 guests attended a picnic hosted by the Bahamian-American Association at the U.S. Coast Guard Base, 7323 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Pictured following the Bahamas Independence Anniversary Church Service held at the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), 1518 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on Sunday, July13, from left to right are: Mr. Mikhail Bullard, Third Secretary, Vice Counsul, Bahamas Embassy; Miss Krissy Hanna, Second Secretary/Vice Consul, Bahamas Embassy; Mrs. Paulette Zonicle, Bahamas Consul General to Washington, D.C.; His Excellency Dr. Eugene Newry, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States; Mrs. Francois Torchon Newry; Rev. William H. Lamar IV, Pastor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; Miss Faith Maycock, Third Secretary/Vice Consul, Bahamas Embassy Consular Annex; and Rev. Don Darius Butler, Pastor of Tabernacle Community Baptist Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who was the guest preacher for the service.
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Then on Sunday, July 13, the Bahamas National Youth Choir was the featured choir at the Independence church service held at the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), 1518 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Dressed in their concert uniforms, they performed a number of religious and classical songs throughout the service.
Guest preacher for the occasion was Rev. Don Darius Butler, a Bahamian who is currently pastor of Tabernacle Community Baptist Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who flew to Washington, D.C., especially for the occasion.
Ambassador Newry brought brief remarks at the service, the litany was read by Consul General Zonicle and the scripture by Mr. Chet Neymour, Deputy Chief of Mission, Bahamas Embassy.
Pictured at the official independence anniversary reception held by the Embassy of The Bahamas at the St. Regis Hotel, 923 16th and K Streets, N.W., in downtown Washington on Friday evening from left to right are: Mr. Chet Neymour, Deputy Chief of Mission, Bahamas Embassy; Mrs. Paulette Zonicle, Bahamas Consul General to Washington, D.C.; His Excellency Dr. Eugene Newry, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States; and Mr. Michael C. Fountain, Bahamas Honorary Consul to Chicago.
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Sunday afternoon, beginning at 3 o’clock, the Bahamas National Youth Choir again delighted members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and other guests, including Bahamians living in the D.C. area, with a more than one-hour concert, the first half of which was devoted to classical songs. During the second half of the concert, choir members transformed the pews and aisle of the historic church, which was celebrating its 176 anniversary, into a setting for a remarkable performance of show tunes and traditional Bahamian songs.
The Bahamas National Youth Choir capped their performances in the Washington, D.C., area with a performance at the National Art Gallery Monday afternoon.
Members of the choir were guests of Consul General Zonicle at a “grill out” held at her Fort Washington, Maryland, residence prior to leaving for New York on Tuesday for a performance at the entrance of the United Nations on 46th Street on Wednesday, July 16.
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