The birdsong Academy would like to congratulate one of our faculty members, Nicholas Jones,  on the award of a scholarship to study at prestigious The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music.  The school has a longstanding international reputation for musical excellence and has been recognised for its eminence in musical artistry, education and community service.  Nicholas plans to focus on Jazz Studies (Performance) and he is very interested in developing  and widening his musical talents, in improvisation, performance, arranging and composing.

Nicholas joined the birdsong Academy at the age of 12 with no prior musical experience. He soon began developing his musical abilities in steel pan and saxophone. He was introduced to arranging while attending El Dorado East Secondary School (Sixth Form) and was the co-arranger for the El Dorado East Secondary Steel Orchestra for the National Junior Panorama Competition. Some of his achievements include Most Outstanding Pan Student at both El Dorado East Secondary School and birdsong Academy.  Nicholas is currently a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Band where he plays the clarinet and saxophone. Nicholas also arranged for this conventional Orchestra and the Jazz Ensemble where he currently studies. Nicholas plans to further develop and widen his musical talents, in improvisation, performance, arranging and composing.

Nicholas is actually the fourth participant of the birdsong Academy to be awarded a scholarship to study at a prestigious international institution.  The other awardees are:

• Nyol Mansell -  Berklee College of Music
  
• Derrianne Dyett - The Prince Claus Conservatoire
  
• Alisha Wallace  -  Tblisi State Medical University 
  

The birdsong Academy, which is in its 12th year is a free music education programme targeting teenaged youth primarily from the Trinidad's East-West corridor. The programme is already bearing tangible fruit to its most important constituents – at risk youth. Aside from the scholarship awardees several alumni are enrolled locally in tertiary level music programmes. Yet others have established careers in local Service bands.