It was with a powerful rendition of "Kum Ba Yah" they did it, and few would argue that it was a victory too long denied. Hailed as a "historic event for the school" by Choir Master Mr Maurice Brash, it was the first time in twenty-nine years that Fatima's Junior Choir has won the annual Music Festival, having previously secured second and third places several times.

Yet the success of Fatima College was not limited to its choir placing first in the Class 15 Category at the festival held at the Queen's Hall this March. Determined to outshine any and all other musicians of his age group, Upper Form VI student Anthony Woodroffe was able to secure multiple victories in the 16 classes which he entered. These included Instrumental Sight Reading, Saxophone Solo, Saxophone Open, Clarinet Solo, Clarinet Open, Flute Solo, Flute Open, Recorder Solo, Recorder Open and Boys' Vocal Trio. In addition, with St Anthony's Senior Choir, Woodroffe entered the Contemporary Religious Choir and with the Valsayn's Teachers' College he entered the Folk Song Choir as well as the Chamber Music Ensemble.

With victories in the Sight Reading classes, the Saxophone Solo and the Clarinet Open, second place in the two Recorder classes and third place in the Flute Solo, it was soon obvious that Woodroffe would be making his trips across the stage to collect his prizes with almost cyclic regularity. Not content with his personal success over the two weeks, Woodroffe was also part of the Fatima College Trio "B" that won the Boys Vocal Trio and assisted St Anthony's Senior Choir to their win in the Folk Song Choir Category.

According to Music Festival adjudicator Professor Alvin H Reime, Anthony is "a very talented and confident young man." Indeed, Woodroffe has every right to be; the young man was all but born into music. Woodroffe's father, Anthony Woodroffe Sr was at one time in charge of Fatima's Cadet Band and is the founder of the musical school "The Brass Institute," while his mother Jean sings in the church choir with La Petite Musicale.

The fact is, music and Anthony Woodroffe go hand in hand. "I used to hang out there (at his father's school) and then my dad started pointing to an instrument and saying 'Play this' or 'Play that.' And that is how I learned to play them.

"I started playing music seriously in Form Two when I joined the Fatima College Cadet Band.

"In late Form Two, going on to Form Three, I started the saxophone. Before concentrating on 'A' Level exams I sang with the Marionettes' Junior Choir."

Naturally, Woodroffe has had to learn how to balance his academics with his music, and admitedly this has been "stressful." Yet, he has found the formula and at present has plans of going to the University of Arts in Philadelphia where he hopes to further his musical studies.

With the ability, according to Maurice Brash, to sight read a piece ten minutes before playing it, and already experiencing enviable success on the national scale, there is little doubt that Anthony Woodroffe is yet another Fatima student destined for great things.