While often the negative few grab the headlines, hundreds of young people are quietly getting on with doing amazing things, enriching our lives and our culture without fanfare, so when their talents are showcased, as they were in the Heritage Concert at St. John's Church on May 16 and 17, it is especially delightful to give them the kudos due them, and due their director Marjorie Pettit.

Though the poise and discipline of the young people were noted, it was also very evident that they were having a great deal of fun, and were enjoying immensely the pleasure they were giving the audience.

The programme was conceived to celebrate Bermuda's 400th anniversary of English settlement, and was a selection of choral works interspersed with trumpet, violin and voice solos. The chamber orchestra led by Kerry Haslam provided talented support to the choir and soloists.

The pieces explored the human condition from the opening 'Make a joyful noise unto the Lord' arranged by Michael Head to Massenet's 'Va laisse couler mes larmes' (Oh let my tears flow) from "Werther".

The programme got off to a joyous start with 'Make a joyful noise unto the Lord' and Bach's 'Denn Du Wirst Meine Seele Nicht In Holle Lassen' (Laughing and Shouting for Joy) from "Cantata No. 15", in the first piece the soaring young voices punctuated by the bright notes of the trumpet, and the elements of laughter in the light, bright second piece forcing one to smile.

Exuberance was also the key note in 'The Mist Covered Mountain,' a traditional American fiddle tune and 'Two for the Price of One', a round featuring 'This Old Man' and 'Old Man Finnegan', which the choir clearly enjoyed singing.

'The Birds' by Rachel Portman was another celebration of life, the music carrying one to soar among the clouds with the birds. John Stanley's 'Trumpet Voluntary' was adeptly performed by Matthew Ross on piccolo trumpet and continued the celebratory theme.

Exploring other human emotions, Kerri-lynne Dietze's very expressive, passionate rendition of 'Va laisse couler mes larmes' and 'Una Voce Poco Fa' from "The Barber of Seville", were moving. It's astonishing that such a rich, powerful mezzo-soprano could come from such a slip of a girl.

While the creatures of the air featured in the first half of the programme, it was the sea, passages and voyages that dominated the second half.

Christine Allison's confident, expressive rendition of Beriot's 'Scene de Ballet' opened the second half of the programme, and with the dance elements bridged the two halves nicely. The programme notes stated that the piece "is a melodic, outgoing work, comprised of different dance styles, including a polonaise and waltz, and full of virtuosic devices", which Miss Allison handled with ease.

The choir having doffed their crimson robes and ruffs and returned in a rainbow of t-shirts, carried the audience across the ocean in an original arrangement of Marvell's 'The Bermudas', especially written for Bermuda's 400th anniversary by Scottish composer Wilma Paterson. Marvell's poem imagines what the Sea Venture survivors, rowing to land in a small boat might have sung.

The opening bars of the music in a minor key were very evocative of long rolling waves, strange and ominous, with the brewing storm punctuated by a clash of cymbal.

There followed a paean of praise to the glory of God and all he had created, before the piece closed again with the haunting music of the minor key, finishing with a bright chord of hope, a tierce de Picardi.

The watery theme was continued with 'Caresse Sur l'Ocean' from "Les Choristes", and the Spiritual 'Down by the Riverside' among other pieces.

The evening closed with Miss Dietz and the choir singing Rutter's 'The Lord Bless you and Keep You', and we went away feeling that we had indeed been blessed.