The National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica in performance.
One of the marvels of last Friday night's launch of the Orchestra Programme for Youth in Jamaica at the Courtleigh Auditorium was the playing of the freshly composed 'Marley Symphony No 1' by the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ), comprising some 80 musicians.
The excitement created by the powerful musical medley, opening with Marley's Exodus, played by a stage-full of instruments - violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trombone, tuba, trumpet, French horn and a number of percussion instruments - was manifested in the ear-popping applause the piece received.
Conductor/arranger Jon Williams was clearly pleased, and MC Fae Ellington opined that had Marley heard the reggae symphony, he would've exclaimed, "Jah Rastafari! Seet yah now!"
Sweetly sentimental
The work was preceded by another Jamaican creation - Peter Ashbourne's 'Jamaica Folk' - which was as sweetly sentimental as the symphony was passionate. The medley included snatches of several well-known folk songs, including Dis Long Time Gal, Linstead Market and Jane and Louisa. It, too, was enthusiastically applauded by the packed auditorium.
The orchestra, made up of members of musical groups and individual music students from many studios, had only been practising together for the previous 10 days. Its versatility was shown by its fine playing of works by both the Jamaican composers and some non-Jamaican ones like Aaron Copland, Merle Isaac, Antonio Vivaldi, Arturo Marquez, Alberto Ginastera and, for the final item, Handel. His Messiah was sung by the NYOJ choir accompanied by the orchestra.
Despite the beauty of the music at the launch, it would appear that the aim of the Orchestra Programme for Youth in Jamaica is not the creation or production of high quality music. Instead, the programme was established "to build social cohesiveness, develop self-esteem and self-awareness of participants, build emotional capacity and the ability to work in teams and, ultimately, to contribute to the social advancement and well-being of the individuals, participants and their families".
There's not a word about music in the quotation, which appears in the function's printed programme. It seems that the programme's organisers don't belong to the 'art for art's sake' school but believe art should be practical, a means to some non-artistic end.
They might remember, though, that when man's basic needs are satisfied, he instinctively longs for art and beauty; the aesthetic impulse kicks in. Even angels in heaven, though they lack nothing, don't do nothing; they sing.
But even if music is not the ultimate goal of the NYOJ, it will certainly be an objective, a step towards that goal; and along with well adjusted, socially mobile individuals should come at least a few professional musicians. Many of the youngsters in the programme will surely want to emulate their teachers, who will be professional musicians and teachers of music.
Collaboration
Dr Nigel Clarke (centre), Chairman, National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ), greets Minister of Education Andrew Holness while Chris Blackwell, patron, NYOJ, looks on. They were attending the launch of the NYOJ at the Courtleigh Auditorium last Friday evening. - photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
The NYOJ is a non-profit organisation set up to collaborate with the Organisation of American States in the organisation, coordination, implementation and management of the Orchestra Programme for Youth in Jamaica. It is modelled on the world famous El Sistema orchestra network in Venezuela and will target school-aged youngsters, whether in school or not, and train them for participation in an orchestra.
Guest speaker at the launch, Minister of Education Andrew Holness, emphasised that the programme was a vehicle for social transformation. He urged national support, stating that without that support the programme can't succeed. He promised that the Government of Jamaica would assist the local programme, as the Government of Venezuela assists its programme. Mentioning that the programme will begin at St Andrew Technical High School, he asked that Penwood High School in his own constituency be included in the programme. He promised financial help in the purchase of the instruments.
The Gleaner was told by steel band specialist Gay Magnus, one of the instructors in the programme, that it would begin as soon as musical instruments, already ordered, arrive in the island.
In his vote of thanks, School of Music and NYOJ Director Roger Williams admitted to being "super excited about music in Jamaica right now". He, too, stressed the "social change" and self-development goals of the programme.
He had special thanks for two women without whom, he said, the programme would not have started. They were Music School lecturer Ann McNamee and Joan Peart, the executive assistant to NYOJ Chairman Dr Nigel Clarke.
Telephone and Internet use
Peart worked from home while recuperating after suffering a broken hip and The Gleaner sought her out and asked how she did it. Laughing, she spoke of her extensive use of the telephone and Internet for communication with others and declared, "Nothing was wrong with my head, just my hip. I'm a very positive person and I accepted the challenge."
With each printed programme, patrons received a donation card reading in part: "The National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ) is seeking your financial support which will be used to obtain musical instruments and defray the costs of lessons for the young persons in our programme."
The cards were to be dropped in baskets passed around by hostesses at the end of the concert and some hostesses ended up with full baskets. It was a good sign. The NYOJ might still be playing after its young members become adults.
Patron of the launch was pioneer reggae music producer Christopher Blackwell.