From July 11–August 13 2016, Birdsong Academy is hosting its 13th annual Vacation Music Camp. The camp is an extension of the Birdsong Academy; a response to the demand for high-quality, accessible training for children and teens who are poorly served by both the formal and informal music education establishments.

What do these names George Victory (Trinidadian) and Roland Prince (Antiguan) mean to The Birdsong Academy? Nothing AND everything in the same breath.  They both transitioned to the other realm of existence within 48 hours of each other this week. They were both world recognized musicians/ guitar players. One is known for his work with Arrow, The Fatback band, and as session/live player for a host of North American artistes. The other is one of the few Caribbean musicians/ (in particular guitarists) to record and play with the legendary jazz drummer Elvin Jones. (bassist David Happy Williams being one other that I know).

Congratulations to Nicholas Jones,  on the award of a Scholarship to study  at The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music.

Do you play pan, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, flute, clarinet, keyboards, percussion, guitar or bass? Or do you sing? Are you currently in secondary school? Perhaps you recently completed SEA examinations and are about to enter Secondary School? Maybe you are a recent Secondary School graduate? Do you wish to enhance your musical skills with a 5-week intensive programme of sight-reading, harmony, ear-training, technique, ensemble playing, theatre arts, local music history and a host of other courses to support the development of your musical talents? The Camp experience includes a field trip to an exciting destination.If you tick any of these boxes, birdsong Academy may be the place for you when school closes this term.

We would like to congratulate all our Music Festival Champions on their latest accomplishments.

I had the privilege of playing with Raf Robertson in the early ‘90s in New York.  He exposed me to calypso jazz and introduced me to countless musicians.  Raf threw me into the deep end of improvisation and small ensemble performance.  Learning a song took on a new meaning.  I no longer had the cover of a Steelband and two months to practice a piece.  Playing with Raf was always an adventure. Raf was a master of composing and arranging on the bandstand. His music charts, if he had any, were rough sketches.  “Yuh have to be ready for any ting; jus listen.” would be his warning.  And inevitably, the music ended up in strange, beautiful places.  How did we get here? How do we get home?  None of this mattered much to Raf. “Mistakes is when de magic does happen” was his refrain. Regardless of our final destination, the music was always organic and honest.   Music for Raf was about sharing culture, allowing the audience to feel and hear and see the real you, unfiltered, unvarnished.

In a fitting tribute to the late great RAF Robertson our  2016 Panorama selection is DIS 1. 4. RAF  by  Andy Narell.   The track has been recoded in renowned Parisian recording studio Studios Ferber in Paris.  It features Janysett McPherson on piano, Thierry Fanfant on bass, Inor Sotolongo on percussion and Gregory Louis on drums.   The selection beautiful tribute to Raf as It captures the creative chord movements associated with Raf superbly.

The inspired Nyol Manswel is back for the 2016 Carnival season,  voicing his own composition called “Love Up T&T”. Nyol has teamed up with with a formidable array of talented musicians including: Frankie MacIntosh, Terry Shaw, Clyde Mitchell, Ricardo Persaud, Leopold Stevenson, Michael Rodriguez, Nicholas Jones, Naomi Canfield and Richard Quarless.