Antigua Day 6

Day 6 was filled with exciting events and special guests, highlighting the growing impact of our composition workshops.

In the morning, Reuben Bance, Herman Francis (a teacher from Montserrat), Hannah Williams (a student from St Kitts and Nevis), and Calinja from ABYSO were featured on Observer Radio for an interview. They shared insights about their experiences and the significance of this historic composition project.

To start the film group, tutor Ka Youn demonstrated one of her latest works for film. This was a vast composition with over 100 instruments, including orchestral and traditional instruments blended together to create an impressive film score. Through this she demonstrated the process by which film composers put together their initial ideas and bring them to lofe with a full orchestral sound. The students, inspired by this, set about bringing their films to life with music.

Later, we had the honour of welcoming the Minister for Culture, Kahn Cordice. He toured the course and gave an inspiring introduction and masterclass on steel pan. One of the most impressive highlights was an incredible arrangement of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue for pan, showcasing the versatility and brilliance of this unique instrument.

We were honoured to finish the day with a visit from His Excellency, Sir Rodney Williams, Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda. He listened to the students’ compositions and was thoroughly impressed by their work. His Excellency said that the visit had reaffirmed his belief that music is a powerful force for good, capable of bringing cultures and people together.