Young musicans Delight with Classics and Jazz

by Dexter Rose

When you read you begin with ABC; when you play you begin with Doh re me…

And so it would have been for every one of the youngsters who played their notes, carefully learnt during their vacation time in the Julian Bowen Music Academy Educational and Cultural Music Programme, and who put on some wonderful performances on Friday evening, August 21, 2026 at the Kingstown Methodist Church.

It was raining cats and dogs outside but inside the church only soft notes reigned. Seems the rain added to the intimacy of the moment. It was a beauty to behold.

Andre Quamina, the youthful pianist has long announced himself on his instrument. We recall his timid appearance on the JAZZ TROPICAL radio show some four years ago when he took his piano to the studios of NBC Radio for a live performance which earned him some very encouraging comments from Maestro Frankie McIntosh. Andres has, naturally, greatly improved in dexterity and confidence over those four years of continued study. And it showed!

We were told that the pieces he was to perform were from his 45 minute music examination, in which he has unsurprisingly excelled. When he coolly merged from a classical into the contemporary Jazz hit “Just the two of us” it was sheer delight.

Musical Director Julian Bowen, visiting from Barbados, called this “a celebration of music and friendship”, and certainly the musical skills learnt and the memories acquired would live on in the hearts of the participants from Barbados merged with Vincies.

Their second concert on Sunday, 23 emphasized the black and white keys where budding pianists displayed their competences across Classical and Jazz genres.
Standout performances came from the aforementioned Andre Quamina of SVG and Christina Edwards visiting from Barbados, both of whom have successfully completed the Royal School of Music Grade- 8 examinations, and are preparing for the final Diploma level examination.

The audience was treated to an amazing rendition of “Great is thy faithfulness” rendered as a duet by Director, Julian Bowen on the organ and his student Christina Edwards on piano. Exquisite!

There were also two delightful organ solos by Kaiden Goodridge and Jair Forde Gooding among our visitors. Then the audience was entertained by a female Vincy vocal trio who had excelled at the first concert on Friday and this time rendered “You Raised Me Up”. Especially pleasing too was an interpretation of “Hide Me” by the violin ensemble with a cello solo.

The programme was interspersed with renditions by the entire orchestra of strings and horns which put a wrap on the evening’s activity playing the well known “Blue Danube Waltz” Workshops like this are a most useful use of vacation time, and an investment in music students which will redound to the benefit of both Vincentian and Barbadian contingents. A positive display on regional youth talent in collaboration.

But for you who may not have heard and therefore missed the first two concerts, the Julian Bowen Music Academy takes to the Peace Memorial Hall this Friday evening for a grand finalé. All it costs is for you to attend and support the youth.