ScotiaSingers Embraced the Beauty of Christmas

[December 17, 2015] It could have been any evening in the park. Groups of fitness buffs working out, children running around, enjoying the open space, photographers milling about. Except on this particular evening there where many more people gathered to celebrate the start of the Christmas season with the Scotia Singers at their free concert in Emancipation Park. There was standing room only as hundreds turned out be part of an event that has been a standard for the last nineteen years.

Those without seats made do leaning on the fountain or cotching where they could. Even those involved in other activities took the time to take in the beautiful music and singing as the choir pelted out a song after song of 'Christmas in any Language'. French, Spanish, Korean and a whole segment dedicated to African songs, that took you back to the motherland where performed. Songs included 'Sing Noel' – South African, 'Elu Agogo / Ago go Christmas', and 'Yesu yi o', both Nigerian, and A la Nanita Nana' a Christmas lullaby in Spanish. There was dancing... There were instrumental presentations, and a beautiful message delivered by Swallowfield Chapels Pastor, David Henry.

It was a joyful engaging event, a true open air music festival with a fabulously decorated backdrop mural featuring huge Christmas balls in a bed of palm leaves and candy canes. Further heighted by the swirl of coloured LED lights that contributed to the general ambience of the performance.

The singers mesmerized with their beautiful sounds. But it was when the Jamaican carols began that the crowd got to rocking. 'Never a baby like Jesus' started it off followed by a Jamaicanised version of 'Away in a Manger' with a sell off wicked reggae beat took the hearts of the crowd as the singers crooned while doing a stylized version of ska.

A special presentation of $350,000 was made by the Scotia Foundation to the Wortley Home for Girls as part of the banks contribution towards the rebuilding process after the fire earlier this year. The programme ended on a high with the Singers presenting an excellent rendition of Gloria, Gloria. The guests were then invited to join President and CEO of Scotia Group, as she opened Mary's House, a typical old time country house that will house numerous Christmas Activities through to Christmas Eve.

About Scotia Group Jamaica Limited (SGJL)
Scotiabank has been in Jamaica since 1889 and is the premier financial institution in the country with just over 2,000 employees and 35 Branches Island wide. SGJL is a subsidiary of Scotiabank (Canada) and offers a diverse range of products and services including personal, commercial, and small business banking, wealth management, insurance, and mortgages. SGJL is an award winning institution having been named on numerous occasions as the Bank of the Year and Best Bank in Jamaica by international financial publications – the Banker, Latin Finance, Euromoney, and Global Finance magazines. SGJL has JMD$ 414 billion in assets (as at January 31, 2015). For more information please visit www.scotiabank.com/jm.