Prime Minister’s Message
Leader of the Opposition Message
Director’s Messages Our Founder’s Story
Journey to Forty
Honorary Lifetime Members
Cleophas R.E. Adderley Award Recipients
BNYC Alumni Association Board Members 2023- 2024 & 40th Anniversary Gala Committee Members The Divas
Dinner Menu The Show
Alumni of the Bahamas National Youth Choir
“It is with great pleasure and profound admiration that I extend my heart felt congratulations to The Bahamas National Youth Choir (BNYC) on the occasion of your fortieth anniversary.”
In promoting the arts, fostering community, and cultivating national pride, your organization has made outstanding contributions to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. This, by all means, is reason to celebrate!
What began as a bold idea in the mind of our first Prime Minister, Sir Lynden Pindling, was brought to life in 1983 by Cleophas Adderley II O.B.E. and has now solidified itself as a true cultural force. For four decades, the BNYC has propelled performative arts in The Bahamas forward, championing our rich cultural heritage at home and abroad. Classics like “Celebrate” and “MamaLay” are etched in our national consciousness, as is the stunning costume design which has come to characterize your performances. But you have not just shared your melodies and dances with us, you have shown them to the world!
For dazzling us, and the globe, I commend you! In addition to advancing the creative arts, the BNYC has served as a cornerstone of community building in The Bahamas, attracting members from varied backgrounds, and uniting them with a shared sense of camaraderie and creative passion. Your spirit of friendship and commitment to artistic excellence has brought you much success–success which testifies to what Bahamians can do when we work together.
What’s more, your organization has inspired national pride in all of us. From the young to the old, Bahamians everywhere have delighted in seeing the BNYC celebrate what it means to be Bahamian. Your work has showcased the struggles, achievements, and vivid character of our people. Continue to a stound us with song and dance; continue to be a beacon for Bahamian culture! On behalf of the government and people of The Bahamas, I express my sincerest congratulations once again. Thank you for your sharing your talents with us, and with the world. We are truly proud of you.
I salute the BNYC Alumni Association for facilitating these fortieth anniversary celebrations. May God continue to bless the choir, its alumni, and the entire Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Honorable Philip Davis, KC, MP Prime Minister
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Director, Members and Alumni of The Bahamas National Youth Choir (BNYC) on the occasion of its 40th Anniversary.“
In 1983, the Late Cleophas R.E Adderley embarked upon a mission to establish a national choir that would not only resonate with the heart and soul of Bahamian history and culture but also provide a platform for our talented young people to develop and shine. From his vision, the BNYC was born, and over the past four decades, it has become an embodiment of musical excellence and cultural preservation. Mr. Adderley's dedication to the success of the BNYC can be seen in the lives of countless singers who have passed through this national institution.
It was indeed a great honor of mine several years ago to be invited to perform with the choir as a guest artist, an experience I remember with pride. I am also personally grateful to have assisted BYNC's continued growth during my tenure as Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture.
As we celebrate this 40th anniversary with a star-studded tribute under the theme "An Evening with Our Stars," I am confident that this event will be an inspiring addition to the rich legacy of the BNYC. Let this milestone be a reminder of the extraordinary journey you have undertaken and the bright path that lies ahead. The Bahamas National Youth Choir is a shining example of the power of music, culture, and the spirit of our youth.
Congratulations again on this remarkable achievement, and I look forward to witnessing the continued success and growth of the BNYC in the years to come.
The Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition Michael
C. Pintard M.P.I am thrilled to have you join us as the Bahamas National Youth Choir (BNYC) commemorates forty (40) years of music-making. I express my heartfelt gratitude to every member, past and present, for their dedication, expression of talent, and unwavering commitment to our choir's journey. Forty years of harmonizing voices, touching hearts, and creating musical memories is a testament to our collective passion for choral music and the enduring spirit of the BNYC.
This anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on our journey. From humble beginnings to the ensemble we are today, we have overcome challenges, celebrated triumphs, and grown as musicians and individuals. Let us cherish the memories, friendships, national and international experiences that have shaped us and kept our devotion for four decades.
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas celebrated its milestone 10th year of Independence in 1983. This was not only a special year for the country, it was a notable year for the late Cleophas R.E. Adderley who was asked to form a National Youth Choir to assist in exhibiting the country’s rich and vibrant culture during the Independence celebrations. From this request, some fifty (50) young people were gathered together and following an intense period of training they performed at several venues during the myriad of celebratory events. These performances were just a taste of what was yet to come.
Fast forward to the year 1990 and the Bahamas National Youth Choir rose like a phoenix and has grown from strength to strength with the support of the country’s Quincentennial Secretariat. Mr. Adderley set very high artistic standards for the BNYC. Members of the choir have to be well rounded as they are not only required to sing but also to participate in the choreographed dances that have given great joy to many audiences at home and around the world. The choir demonstrates a profoundness of our Bahamian musical heritage and culture, while providing valuable opportunities for the development and training of young men and women.
There have been many unsung heroes, donors and supporters who have assisted mightily in the development of the choir. On behalf of a grateful nation I express sincere gratitude for all the hard work, time, contributions and dedication extended to this choir.
The Bahamas National Youth Choir continues to show the importance of diligence, discipline and integrity in creative expression. I encourage young individuals to join this outstanding organization and become part of the positive strides in preserving and promoting the cultural aspects of our National life.
The BNYC has a rich history. As Director I remain steadfastly committed to nurturing musical talent, fostering a love for choral music, and inspiring audiences with our performances. With your continued support of the BNYC, together, we will continue to embark on new musical adventures for generations to come.
Dexter D Fernander DirectorCleophas Richard Earle Adderley was born on 7 May 1955 at 35 Dorchester Street, Nassau, The Bahamas. He was the eighth of nine children and the youngest of five sons born to Helen Bailey Adderley and her husband Cleophas Edwy Adderley. He was delivered at home by his aunt, a licensed midwife, the late Rosalie Carmen Bailey. His mother, a seamstress, pianist and organist, was the youngest daughter of the late R. M. Bailey, for whom a senior high school is named. His father was one of the first Bahamian three-phase electricians, who later became the member of Parliament for the City of Nassau (1967-1977).
The Adderley children were a tightly knit group, but Cleophas formed a special bond with the only person he was older than, his sister Suzanne, who was born a year after him. They were known as, inter alia, “the Gold Dust Twins” and “Mutt & Jeff”. He became “OP” when she found it too difficult to say the name Cleophas, and chose to call him “OP”, a name by which he has become known by family and close friends. He simply called her “Sue”. He excelled as a student, and received his early childhood education at St. Mary’s Day School, as did all of his siblings. He then attended Western Prep III and Western Junior/Senior Schools for his primary school education. He was a proud graduate of The Government High School where he obtained his GCE O Levels in 1972 and completed his GCE A Levels in 1974. Cleophas then read law at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree (Hons). He successfully pursued a Certificate of Legal E, education from the Norman Manley Law School in Mona, Jamaica, and was admitted as Counsel and Attorney of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on 1 August 1980. Cleophas was raised in a happy home filled with love, music and laughter, where he was taught love of God, family and neighbor. Education was a priority, and respect for others a must.
His was a musical family. There was always a piano in the home, and all of the Adderley children took piano lessons. In the early days, there was no television and one way the Adderleys entertained themselves was with family concerts. Each child would either play a piece on the piano, or sing or recite a poem. When Grandpa Bailey was alive he would chime in on his violin. Even in those early days, it was evident that OP was a cut above the rest musically. He never played the same piece twice, while others were happy to get through their same old rendition, to the full applause of the family. Cleophas was always exposed to the music of other religious denominations, although the family was Anglican and worshipped at Christ Church Cathedral. Aunt Gladys was an organist and choir director in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church
and the Adderley children would often accompany her there on Saturdays. At the Cathedral, Cleophas was the tallest member of the Boys’ Choir and a member of the Boy Scouts, where he formed lifelong friendships with other youngsters of his age, including the Chandler brothers and Jeff Lightbourne. They all grew up under the watchful eye of the late Dean T. Leslie Weatherhead.
Early in his childhood (at about three years old) his mother discovered that Cleophas had a special gift. She would play a piece of music on the piano, and upon completion, she noticed that as young as he was he would produce that music in perfect pitch from memory. He began taking music lessons at home with his mother and then with his aunt, Rosalie Carmen Bailey. Later he would move on to his aunt, the late Millicent Louise Symonette, for piano lessons. He then started organ lessons with another aunt, the late Gladys Bailey. After her death he studied the organ with Douglas Potts and the late Nancy John-Gittens. While a student at Government High School, he studied piano theory and composition with the late Marion St. George, whom he counted amongst his favourite music teachers, a group that included the late E. Clement Bethel and Godfrey Davis. Cleophas studied voice with Dawn Marie Nash and the late Pauline Glasby. He also studied orchestration with Nancy Petterson Strelau at the University of Miami; and he participated in a master class with the late opera diva Gloria Davey at the University of Indiana at Bloomington.
All of the Adderley brothers learned a trade. In the case of the older brothers, they accompanied their father during the summer holidays to learn the electrical trade. Cleophas, from about the age of eleven, spent his summer holidays as an apprentice to his uncle, master tailor Nathaniel Bailey. The tailoring skills he learned at the feet of his uncle served him well. He learned to make his own school uniforms and later his own suits, even sewing by hand when it became necessary.
While a student at the University of the West Indies, he sang as a member of the University Singers. He was recognized by the University for his outstanding contribution to Caribbean music. He was a recipient of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen Award for his contribution to the Arts.
As a child he would often tell his mother that he could hear the music in his head. She encouraged him to write it down. He followed her advice and as a result, he became a prolific composer. His works include, but are not limited to, Missa Caribe, the first Bahamian concert mass; The Cari Classics, a group of choral compositions based on Bahamian ring plays; music and rhythms for You Can Take a Horse to Water; and the first Bahamian opera, Our Boys, which has the distinction of being the first grand opera to be written and performed in the English-speaking Caribbean. The opera premiered in 1987 and in 1998 it was performed as a part of The Bahamas Silver Jubilee Independence Celebrations. Today, however, the name Cleophas R. E. Adderley is synonymous with the Bahamas National Youth Choir of which he was founder and director. In 1983 he was invited by then Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Sir Lynden O. Pindling, to form a choir to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Bahamian Independence.
That first choir did not last. In 1990 the choir was revived. Cleophas agreed to reorganize the choir on the condition that it would become a Bahamian institution. For the next twenty-seven years Cleophas worked tirelessly to select and train hundreds of young Bahamians, creating an institution that all Bahamians can be proud of. He even utilized the skills he learned as a tailor to design, and sometimes to help sew, the colorful costumes that have come to identify the choir. For him it was a labor of love. He fondly referred to the choir as “my children”.
Cleophas practiced law for fourteen years and was appointed Director of Culture in the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture in 1993. He was later appointed Executive Director of Music Heritage and Research in this ministry, a position he held at the time of his death.
Cleophas was a devoted member of the Parish Church of the Most Holy Trinity. He served for many years as the Legal Advisor of the Parish. It was, however, in the music ministry that he made his greatest contribution to the church. He has the distinction of being the longest standing director of the senior choir and labored mightily to ensure that the choir met the high standard of excellence with a wide repertoire of sacred music. He loved his choir members dearly and they treated him as their favorited son, brother and friend. To his family who loved him dearly, he was husband, father, brother, and Uncle OP. He brought pride and joy to the family and to his close friends. He will always be in our hearts. We are proud to have shared Uncle OP with the world. As a child he would often tell his mother that he could hear the music in his head. She encouraged him to write it down. He followed her advice and as a result, he became a prolific composer.
His works include, but are not limited to, Missa Caribe, the first Bahamian concert mass; The Cari Classics, a group of choral compositions based on Bahamian ring plays; music and rhythms for You Can Take a Horse to Water; and the first Bahamian opera, Our Boys, which has the distinction of being the first grand opera to be written and performed in the English-speaking Caribbean. The opera premiered in 1987 and in 1998 it was performed as a part of The Bahamas Silver Jubilee Independence Celebrations.
Today, however, the name Cleophas R. E. Adderley is synonymous with the Bahamas National Youth Choir of which he was founder and director. In 1983 he was invited by then Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Sir Lynden O. Pindling, to form a choir to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Bahamian Independence. That first choir did not last. In 1990 the choir was revived. Cleophas agreed to reorganize the choir on the condition that it would become a Bahamian institution. For the next twenty-seven years Cleophas worked tirelessly to select and train hundreds of young Bahamians, creating an institution that all Bahamians can be proud of. He even utilized the skills he learned as a tailor to design, and sometimes to help sew, the colourful costumes that have come to identify the choir. For him it was a labour of love. He fondly referred to the choir as “my children”.
Cleophas practiced law for fourteen years and was appointed Director of Culture in the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture in 1993. He was later appointed Executive Director of Music Heritage and Research in this ministry, a position he held at the time of his death.
Cleophas was a devoted member of the Parish Church of the Most Holy Trinity. He served for many years as the Legal Advisor of the Parish. It was, however, in the music ministry that he made his greatest contribution to the church. He has the distinction of being the longest standing director of the senior choir and laboured mightily to ensure that the choir met the high standard of excellence with a wide repertoire of sacred music. He loved his choir members dearly and they treated him as their favourite son, brother and friend.
In 2016, Cleophas was recognized for his contributions to music and was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. On 17 June 2017, he was awarded the Icon Award for his service to the country. He was both grateful and proud to be so honoured.
He was married to the love of his life, Francoise Brooks Adderley, and was a loving father to his two children, Cleophas Leon Alexander Adderley III and Deisha Russell.
To his family who loved him dearly, he was husband, father, brother, and Uncle OP. He brought pride and joy to the family and to his close friends. He will always be in our hearts. We are proud to have shared Uncle OP with the
The Bahamas National Youth Choir was founded in 1983 as a part of the celebrations marking the tenth anniversary of Bahamian Independence. It is a charitable national cultural entity subsidized by The Bahamas Government and the private sector.
Through the medium of the arts, the Choir provides opportunities for self-growth, development and training, as it continues to create responsible and confident citizens while building an enduring national cultural institution.
The Choir has sung in twenty-seven foreign languages, produced nine commercial recordings, traveled to twenty-five countries on four continents, and has researched and documented much of the folk music of the Bahamas. The Choir is the recipient of many awards including two awards for outstanding work at The Seventh China International Chorus Festival in Wuxi, China; two silver medals at The World Choir Games in Gratz, Austria; two gold and a silver medals at the 2012 World Choir Games, U. S. A; The Silver Jubilee Award of The Bahamas; The Cacique Award ( Performing Arts – Bahamas Ministry of Tourism ), Proclamations from the Mayors of Newark, New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angles, and the Keys to the City of Miami.
The Founder / Director of the choir is the late Cleophas Adderley, Attorney-at-law and Executive Director, National Musical Heritage and Research at The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. Since 2017, the choir has been under the direction of Dexter Fernander, an alumnus of the Choir. His focused for this national institute has been curriculum development and the continued preservation of Bahamian culture. In 2019, the Choir because an affiliate to the Royal School of Church Music.
Since the beginning of the 2019 pandemic, the choir quickly transitioned onto a digital platform and upkeeping with health and safety trends as set out by the American Choral Music Associations. During this pandemic the choir has been actively engaging its social media audience and has released 3 music videos and a new anniversary CD entitled “Island Celebration”. In 2022, the Choir participated in the Commonwealth Platinum Jubilee Celebration of Queen Elizabeth. The choir also participated in the MidAmerica Productions 39th Season at Carnegie Hall in May 2022 and in August represented the English speaking Caribbean at the International Folk Music Festival, Festival De Confolens, in the Western district of France. The Choir, once again joined other Commonwealth Choirs to participate in Their Majesties The King and Queen Consort Coronation Concert held at Windsor Castel.
“Honorary members are members that have served The Choir 10 years or more”Anton Smith Felipe Major Robert Pinder Gayle Barrow Farrington Candace Bostwick Percy Blyden
Nikki Davis
Breea Colebroke
Candace Bostwick
Latasha Taylor
Patrice Murell
This night is 10 years in the making, and we are one step closer to enjoying a magical night with some our most notable BNYCA soloists. This will be an evening of fellowship, fundraising and fond memories. There will be red carpet fashions, a signature cocktail reception, exclusive concert with the divas, storytelling, tributes and of course an after party.
“Expect the unexpected and a lot of excitement.”
VENUE: Baha Mar Convention Center
DATE: Saturday 7th October, 2023
TIME: Red Carpet & Cocktails @ 6:30 pm
SHOW: 8:00 pm sharp
DRESS CODE: BLACK TIE
SOUP SALAD
Calabaza Soup with Pumpkin Seed Oil, Rolls and Butter Island Baby Greens with Grape Tomato, Mango, Papaya,
Toasted Coconut and Passion Fruit Vinaigrette,
ENTREE
Grilled Chicken Breast & Grilled Salmon with Plantain-Yucca Mash, Red Wine
Shallot Jus and Charr,.
DESSERT
Cheesecake with strawberry topping
“On this 40th Anniversary Celebration of The Bahamas National Youth Choir,
Kerae and Kohen Ingraham wish to congratulate their wife and mother:
Janae Ingraham, Alumnus
The Bahamas National Youth Choir for Celebrating 40 Years
Congratulations to Janae Ingraham From
The Executive Board Members of St. Matthew’s Anglican Church Usher Board
“Labor of Love”
“Congratulations to LaToya Hanna Moxey for being a part of The Bahamas National Youth Choir and celebrating 40 years of performance.
From your Family.”
“Congratulations to Heather Hunt for being a part of The Bahamas National Youth Choir and celebrating 40 years of performance.
From your Family.”
“Deno Moss and Family wishes to extend to congratulations to
Janae Ingraham
Alumnus, Bahamas National Youth Choir, as they celebrate their 40th anniversary!”
*Honoring The Bahamas National Youth Choir and Mr. Cleophas Adderley*
In Memory of Mr. Edley Swain Sr.
As representatives of the Swain Family, we pay tribute to The Bahamas National Youth Choir, its dedicated alumni, and the legacy of the late Mr. Cleophas Adderley.
The choir's excellence in music and mentorship reflects the core values of unity and discipline. We remember Mr. Cleophas Adderley, whose commitment to nurturing young talent enriched our cultural heritage. Supported by Mr. Edley Swain Sr., our family believes in the transformative power of music and its impact on young lives. The choir's influence extends to alumni excelling in various fields. This tribute celebrates our shared musical heritage and the values that bind our nation together.
With gratitude,
Edley Swain Jr
On Behalf of Joy, Jaden & Kenaz Swain
“Congratulations
Excellence in the service we provide.
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