Look Who Dropped In!

The Bahamas is the type of place where celebrities drop in without a fuss and take part in community events. Sir Richard Branson and Mike Oldfield are no exception. Sir Richard, founder of the Virgin Group, recently returned for a visit to the Bahamas, this time for the premier of Tubular Bells For Schools at St Andrews International School here in Nassau. He was joined by Mike Oldfield, the English musician who composed the Grammy Award winning best instrumental Tubular Bells in 1973. The instrumental launched both Oldfield's career and Sir Richard's Virgin Records 40 years ago, selling more than 17 million copies worldwide. Oldfield's a fan of the St Andrew's International School music department, having provided lots of encouragement to the students. So the principal, Dr Glenn Canterford, invited him to contribute to the opening of the school's new auditorium. Oldfield responded by making a new arrangement of Tubular Bells for piano that could be used by students to learn to play, and as an introduction to rock instrumental music. Jason Ren, a 10th grade student at St Andrew's and fourth place winner at the 2013 World's Pianist Competition at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, played the piece at the premier, which coincided with the opening of the auditorium. This is the kind of place the Bahamas is. It's a mixture of locals, second home owners and visitors. Celebrities are able to come and go without the locals gawking at them or a media frenzy. It's this low key, laid back lifestyle that makes the islands of the Bahamas a popular second home destination. Oldfield's called Nassau home for the past four years. I love the Bahamas and this is now my permanent home and I never wish to leave, he told The Nassau Tribune. The people, society and natural beauty are unrivalled in the world and inspire my music and create wonder in my personal and spiritual self, he said. Well spoken!