Scotiabank AIDS Cultural Youth Ambassadors

Nassau, The Bahamas, June 13, 2018 – Scotiabank recently recognized The Bahamas National Children’s Choir (BNCC) and The Bahamas National Youth Choir (BNYC) for their immense talent and ongoing cultural representation.

“Scotiabank is committed to helping youth in our communities become better off,” said Nakera Symonette, Senior Manager, Marketing & Public Relations, Scotiabank Caribbean North. “The choirs are institutions in our society with a long tradition of excellence; we are pleased to have partnered with them over the years and wish them continued success now and in the future.”

Both choirs lost their founders and directors within the past year. Cleophas R.E. Adderley, O.B.E. founder and director of BNYC died on July 5, 2017. Dr. Patricia Bazard co-founder and former director of BNCC passed away on Christmas Day last year. Adderley and Bazard were both cultural icons – vocalists, composers and instrumentalists – who mentored countless young Bahamian musicians over decades of commitment to the choirs.

New BNYC director, Dexter Fernander, and BNCC co-founder and director, Audrey Dean-Wright who are keeping the choirs’ legacies alive have both decided to use Scotiabank’s donation to help memorialize their late directors. The BNYC plans to produce a fall documentary which focuses on the music programme of the Government High School and Cleophas R.E. Adderley, O.B.E. during the pre-independence period, highlighting Adderley’s interaction with his music professor, Marion St. George. While the BNCC will the ‘Live the Dream’ concert in memory of Dr. Patricia Bazard, followed by an eight-day ‘Live the Dream’ Atlanta Georgia tour.

“These young singers are just brilliant. I have had an opportunity to see both choirs perform live on a few occasions and I am always amazed at their exceptional display of talent,” said Maxine Seymour, Manager, Public & Corporate Affairs, Sponsorships & Philanthropy.

In a 2015 interview with The Nassau Guardian, Adderley said “It’s important that any civilized country [has] national cultural institutions that will help to reinforce their identity and also help to foster national pride, and help to show that it’s a country worthy of historical and cultural note”.

The BNCC’s annual concert is scheduled for Wednesday, July 4 at the Performing Arts Centre at the University of The Bahamas on University Drive. The tour is scheduled for July 12 through the 19. The BNYC’s 28th Annual Concert Season was held this past March at the Dundas Centre for The Performing Arts.

Scotiabank believes that every customer has the right to become better off. When customers succeed, businesses, communities, and entire societies benefit as well. Through our CSR strategy, Better Future, Better Off, we seek to create economic, social and environmental value that benefits every customer. Through our five commitments to Customers, Employees, Communities, the Environment, and strong Corporate Governance practices, we aim to create a better future for both society and Scotiabank. For more information on our priorities and the impact we have made, please visit www.scotiabank.com/csr.

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BNCC (pictured l to r): Maxine Seymour, Manager, Public & Corporate Affairs, Sponsorships & Philanthropy, Scotiabank; Alyssa Stuart, member, The Bahamas National Children’s Choir (BNCC); Dylan Joseph, member, BNCC; Audrey Dean Wright, Director, BNCC; Caleb Goodman, member, BNCC; and Nakera Symonette, Senior Manager, Marketing & Public Relations, Scotiabank Caribbean North.

BNYC (pictured l to r): Maxine Seymour, Manager, Public & Corporate Affairs, Sponsorships & Philanthropy, Scotiabank; Dexter Fernander, Director, The Bahamas National Youth Choir (BNYC); Lyndee Bowe, Secretary, BNYC; Vernal Adderley, Chorister and Assistant Dance Choreographer, BNYC; and Nakera Symonette, Senior Manager, Marketing & Public Relations, Scotiabank Caribbean North

For further information, please contact: 
Maxine Seymour
Manager Public & Corporate Affairs, Sponsorships & Philanthropy 
t: (242) 356-1446
f: (242) 356-1601
e: maxine.seymour@scotiabank.com