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St. Kitts-Nevis Delegation Excels at Composers Summer Workshop

Basseterre: St. Kitts, Friday, July 26, 2024: The delegation of five nationals who participated in the pilot of the Eastern Caribbean Composers Summer Workshop returned to the Federation enthused and with extensive information on the composition of music in genres such as jazz, fusion, film, and wind and brass.

The workshop, held in Antigua from Monday, July 15, to Saturday, July 20, provided participants with valuable experiences and skills that they are eager to apply in their future musical endeavors.

Sharing thoughts on the workshop, Hanna-Marie Williams expressed, “It was such an amazing experience. I think that I speak for all of us [student participants] when I say we enjoyed it so much. I do think we definitely learned. The tutors were very skilled, and they were very good at teaching. So, I think that all of us definitely walked away with something from it. The process of composing our pieces was quite enjoyable and rewarding and I think that we will continue composing in the future.”

Speaking on the art of music composition in the genre of fusion, Mikkall Walters stated, “Fusion is all about mixing music and poetry to create a piece. At first, we started out playing games so everyone could get to know everyone, and then we started composing our music. When I started, I was just lost! The instructors, Mr. Ruben and Ellen, went slowly with us, each day we advanced more. We had to write our poetry as well. My piece was entitled ‘Deepest Secret,’ which spoke about the ocean and how unpredictable it is. I then had to mix my poetry with my music.”

Expressing one thing he would always remember from his participation, Royel Pemberton shared, “Jazz is about improvisation. In life, you have to be flexible. When you are composing jazz, you think of a melody and then you play it, likewise, in life when something happens it will allow you to adapt fluidly so that the impact is minimal on your life.”

The participants returned home eager to apply their new skills and share their experiences, marking a significant milestone in their musical journeys.