CASTT 2022 Calypso Festival champs receive prizes

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The Calypso Art Specialists of Trinidad & Tobago (CASTT) led by musician and director, Joey Rivers, have awarded the 2022 Joey Rivers Calypso Festival Champions, Keshawn Gomez and Isiah Regis.

Gomez won the 7-12 age category and Regis, 13-17.

The objective of the festival was to create a developmental experience for all participants. In addition to the final presentation of their compositions, the young talents were also exposed to a range of performance and development advice provided by experts, professionals and practitioners involved in the careers of some successful artists.

In 2016, Rivers developed and founded CASTT. It is a professional music facility focused on enabling the successful careers of upcoming as well as established musicians.

Rivers said: “The main focus is to make sure we have a next generation of calypsonians. Some of our stalwarts have left us, so I believe we need to continue to engage the next group of calypsonians so that they really understand the value of music, production and presentation. If they are serious about improving their craft, this is the platform to start from.”

At the awards event, held recently at Gayelle studios in St Joseph, Rivers presented awards to all eight participants.

They each received Music Production (CASTT Studio), Music Video (Gayelle), Sheet Music (CASTT Publications), Guitar with Accessories (CASTT Music Supplies), Guitar and Music Theory Lessons from Joey Rivers CASTT School, Appearance Fee, production training and Internship at Gayelle Studio as well as Professional Development Training from the SOS Center.

Keshawn Gomez, left, Joey Rivers, Isiah Regis, Jelani Francis, Nixon Callender, guest speaker, Liz Montano, Dillon Mohammed, Joshua Thompson and Errol Fabien.

Keshawn Gomez, left, Joey Rivers, Isiah Regis, Jelani Francis, Nixon Callender, guest speaker, Liz Montano, Dillon Mohammed, Joshua Thompson and Errol Fabien.

This year’s festival was also supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts and the House of Music.

Liz Montano, mother of soca superstar Machel Montano, was the guest speaker, giving advice to young artists as well as their parents.

Sharing her experience as a manager with Machel, Montano said that when she entered the entertainment business, she admitted she knew little about it, but as an educator, she and her husband Monty read a lot in order to provide guidance. “That success came from being supportive as parents.”

Ms. Montano said the most important lesson was learning that success means being resilient. “Even when you enter a race, it’s not always the best win. You learn to win, but you must learn to lose. So prepare early.”

The awards event ended with an extempo among the young bards, who enjoyed banter and lyrical exchanges that focused on their outfits.

Rivers, a member of Machel Montano and Xtatik Foundation since the age of 12, is an accomplished educator, musician and music producer.

He has assisted and supported artists, musicians, folk theater groups, choirs, steel bands, parang bands and contemporary conventional bands over the years.

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