Forty young people have the opportunity during the school vacation to learn music with some very talented musicians.
Following the success of the inaugural Montserrat Music Festival last year, founder, Montserrat born musician, Miss Robyn Quinnett, will return in August 2016 with a delegation of musicians mostly trained at the Juilliard School of Music in New York.
The 10-member team will be conducting a music workshop for young people between the ages of 8 and 16 years old. This will run from 22nd – 30th August. The workshop will offer classes in violin, viola, cello, clarinet, flute, piano, saxophone and recorder.
The group will also give at least two concerts. One of these will feature local musicians and performers. The group has also hinted that they will be exploring other aspects of music presentation to give the project a more “festival” feel.
Ms. Quinnett’s desire to come back to Montserrat and contribute to the musical offerings comes from the love of her homeland. Plymouth, her birthplace, is where she first began learning music, taking piano lessons.
Her late grandfather, E. Karney Osborne, made many contributions to the island in the time he lived here and Robyn wants to continue serving Montserrat in her own way.
After graduating from Juilliard studying violin performance, Robyn put together a team to create, in Montserrat, the types of opportunities for music training that she had throughout her studies. During the summer, many music students go to camp or music festivals and receive training over the summer months to advance their skills, play with fellow students, and be inspired by the live performances of world class artists.
“I was able to attend many superb music festivals around the world. There is nothing like honing your skills over the summer and I would not be the musician I am today without those experiences. I knew I always wanted to create one in Montserrat, even more so after the volcano destroyed my hometown, reducing the number of music teachers and musical opportunities compared to the time when I was growing up there.
“My vision is to present an annual summer event providing daily music lessons to the Montserratian youth culminating in a final concert by the students, presenting community engaging workshops and pre-concert events, a festive event featuring the musical and cultural offerings of Montserrat, and performances by guest artists from all over the world. I know this will be possible with the support of The Montserrat Arts Council, the Montserrat government, and caring individuals who support spreading music across the globe,” says Robyn Quinnett.
Spaces for this workshop will be limited, therefore parents/guardians of interested persons are asked to contact the Montserrat Arts Council at 491-8555 or send an email to info@artscouncil.com to register their interest.
Registration closes on 15th August or when the 40 allocated spaces are filled.
