Dutch couples: Loius and Marina Van Emmerik are currently training 25 young Gambians to better themselves in the future, at a training held at SunSwing Beach and Resort Hotel.
Speaking to this report at his SunSwing Hotel resident, Mr. Loius said they had come with musical instruments worth D500, 000, meant to train 25 young Gambians who want to take music as their future career. “We got these musical instruments from the money people donate. And me and my wife Marina also bought some instruments from our own pocket,” Mr. Loius told this reporter. He said the young Gambians who are partaking in the training are between the ages of 16-26.
According to Mr. Loius, this is the 5th time he is visiting The Gambia with his wife Marina. He said “for the running of an Orchestra centre at SunSwing, this year is the 2nd year.”
Also, speaking to this reporter was the General Manager (GM) of SunSwing Beach Hotel, formerly called (Jerma Beach Hotel) Mr. Momodou Lamin Jobe, who said they are taking the Orchestra as their own. As he puts it, the coordination will come from Sunswing Beach Hotel.
“We are calling on everybody to join with us and make this Orchestra a big one and let me also advise the youth who are lucky to be selected among the lot for this important training to be serious with it,” Mr. Jobe said.
According to Mr. Jobe, Orchestra carries a lot of respect. He then urged the youth to develop themselves through this Orchestra, promising that his hotel would support them in all forms. “Don’t underrate this training because nowadays Orchestra is being played in high places.”
The musical instruments included 3 keyboards, 3 trombones, 2 saxophones, 4 trumpets, 4 flutes, 2 bass guitars, 2 lead guitars, 2 tubas, 6 mouth harmonicas, 3 melodicas, 3 cymbals, speakers/amplifiers, 6 microphones stands, 3 keyboard stands and 40 T-shirts to be worn by the trainees during the training seasons.
