The Bahamas National Symphony Orchestra Performs on Abaco.

Jennifer Hudson.

The Bahamas National Symphony Orchestra, under that the baton of Mr Douglas Turnquest, recently returned from two very successful concert performances on the island of Abaco. 'Symphony by the Sea' concerts were held on Saturday, March 15 under the stars in the beautiful setting of the Abaco Inn on Elbow Cay and on the afternoon of Sunday, March 16 in the Pavilion of the Abaco Beach Resort and Marina.

Both concerts were performed to capacity standing room only audiences in aid of the Pathfinders Foundation. The orchestra traveled to Abaco at no cost to Pathfinders and donated its time and talents to this worthy cause. The Pathfinders organisation is dedicated to raising funds to send deserving students to colleges abroad who would otherwise not have the funds to attend.

From the opening trumpet fanfare in the first few bars of the rousing March from Tannhauser to the foot tapping rhythms of Goombay Fantasy and Fiesta Ttropicale the audience sat mesmerised. Other favourites such as Themes from Scheherazade, The Moldau, Music Box Dancer, Bahama Lullaby, The Impossible Dream and the clap along  finale of the Radetsky March were all greatly enjoyed by the audiences and elicited standing ovations.

This was a very special experience for the people of Abaco who rarely get to hear a live orchestra and was also a first for several of the younger members of the orchestra who had never before traveled to a family island. The orchestra hopes to travel to more islands in the future.