Geraldine Connor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geraldine Connor
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| Born |
Geraldine Roxanne Connor
22 March 1952 Paddington, London, England
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| Died | 21 October 2011 (aged 59) Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Education | Camden School for Girls, Royal College of Music, Royal Schools of Music |
| Alma mater | School of Oriental and African Studies, University of Leeds |
| Occupation | Ethnomusicologist, theatre director, composer and performer |
| Known for | Carnival Messiah |
| Parent(s) | Pearl Connor and Edric Connor |
Geraldine Connor (born March 22, 1952 – died October 21, 2011) was a talented British artist. She was an ethnomusicologist, which means she studied music from different cultures. Geraldine was also a theatre director, composer, and performer.
She spent a lot of her life in Trinidad and Tobago. Her parents had moved to Britain from there in the 1940s. Her father, Edric Connor, was an actor, singer, and folklorist. Her mother, Pearl Connor, was a theatre agent and cultural activist.
Geraldine Connor is most famous for creating Carnival Messiah. This amazing show combined classical European music with the lively traditions of Caribbean carnival. It also included music inspired by African cultures. She lived in Skelmanthorpe, Yorkshire, for over 20 years. She moved there in 1990 to teach at the University of Leeds.
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Growing Up and Early Life
Geraldine Roxanne Connor was born in Paddington, London. She came from a very artistic family from Trinidad. She was the older child of Edric and Pearl Connor.
She spent her early childhood with her grandparents in Trinidad. Both of them were teachers. Geraldine went to Tranquillity Primary School from 1960 to 1963. Then she attended Diego Martin Government Secondary from 1963 to 1968.
Later, she moved back to London. She went to Camden School for Girls from 1968 to 1971. In 1974, she graduated from London's Royal College of Music. After that, she returned to Trinidad to continue her studies.
She earned a teaching diploma from Valsayn Teacher Training College (1979–1981). In 1981, she became a licensed classical singer from the Royal Schools of Music. At the same time, she taught music at Queen's Royal College from 1976 to 1984. She also led vocal classes at the University of the West Indies.
Music and Performances
Geraldine worked with many different groups. She taught and performed with choirs, solo singers, and folk groups. She toured with famous shows like Porgy and Bess, Showboat, and Carmen Jones.
In the 1970s, she sang backup for reggae star Jimmy Cliff. She was part of a group called the Sunbeams. She also sang with Bob Marley and Tom Jones. You can even hear her voice on the original recording of Jesus Christ Superstar.
In Trinidad, she was very involved with the steel-pan music scene. She played bass in the Trintoc Invaders steel band from 1977 to 1983. In 1984, she became the first woman to arrange a song for them. This was for the annual Panorama steel band competition. She might have been the first woman to arrange for any Panorama competition.
She returned to London to work as an education supervisor. This was for the Brent Black Music Co-operative from 1984 to 1987. She also created successful music arrangements for the Ebony Steel Band. This band was based in Notting Hill.
Teaching and Studies
In 1990, Geraldine moved to Yorkshire. She became a senior lecturer in Multicultural Music at the University of Leeds. Later, she was also a senior teaching fellow. She taught on the Popular Music Studies degree course at Bretton Hall.
In 1995, she earned a master's degree in ethnomusicology. This was from the School of Oriental and African Studies at London University. Her research was about "Culture, identity and the music of Notting Hill carnival".
In 2006, she completed her doctorate degree. This was at the Centre for Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds. Her research focused on "Caribbean consciousness, identity, and representation."
Amazing Theatre Work
Geraldine Connor was very active in theatre. She composed music, performed, and directed many different projects. She wrote music for Jean "Binta" Breeze's play Spirit of the Carnival in 1994. She also acted in The Man Who Lit Up the World in 1991. She co-directed Chesa Chesa for the Adzido Pan African Dance Ensemble in 2001.
She was best known for creating big, spectacular shows. These shows combined music and dance. Her most ambitious project was Carnival Messiah. This show was a new version of Handel's famous work. It featured over 100 performers.
Carnival Messiah was first performed in 1999. It was staged by the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Geraldine worked there as an associate director for two years starting in 2003. Carnival Messiah later toured internationally. It attracted huge audiences, with up to 27,000 people watching.
The government of Trinidad and Tobago invited Carnival Messiah to their country. It sold out shows in Port of Spain in 2003 and 2004. In 2008, parts of the show were performed at the Royal Albert Hall.
Geraldine also directed other successful plays. These include Margaret Busby's Yaa Asantewaa—Warrior Queen. This show toured the UK and Ghana in 2001–2002. She also directed Vodou Nation (2004), Blues in the Night (2005), and a reggae musical based on the film The Harder They Come.
Awards and Recognition
In 2007, Geraldine worked with David Lascelles. They staged Carnival Messiah at Harewood House. This was to mark 200 years since the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. Harewood House was built with money from the slave trade.
In 2009, she received a special award from Trinidad and Tobago. It was the Chaconia gold medal. This is the country's second highest national honor.
Legacy and Remembrance
Geraldine Connor passed away on October 21, 2011, at age 59. She died in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, after a heart attack. Her funeral was held on November 4 at St Aidan's Church, Leeds. Hundreds of people attended. A reception followed at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
In March 2012, a special event took place. It was at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. This event celebrated what would have been her 60th birthday. David Lascelles, now the 8th Earl of Harewood, also organized a concert in her memory. This concert was held at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Celebrations also took place in Trinidad, including at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
The Geraldine Connor Foundation was started in 2012. This arts organization aims to continue her work. They create many creative projects. These projects inspire artists, young people, and communities. They help people experience amazing art in different forms.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation held an online event. It celebrated Windrush Day. The event was hosted by poet Khadijah Ibrahiim and academic Emily Zobel Marshall. Guests included writer Colin Grant, poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, musician Christella Litras, and Camille Quamina.
