Sharing Musical Skills: Antigua and Barbuda!

Find out about our 2024 trip hereWant to know more about 2025?

The Commonwealth Resounds is delighted to share musical experiences with young musicians in Antigua and Barbuda. In collaboration with UK conservatoires and specialist music schools, we have supported the nurturing of young musical talent in the islands of Antigua and Barbuda following the devastating Hurricane Irma in 2017.

In 2019, as part of the Commonwealth’s 70th Anniversary celebrations, we created an exciting new training/skill-sharing programme for young musicians with the High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda, the Royal Over-Seas League and the Purcell School for Young Musicians.

During the Pandemic, visits to the island were limited; however, we are delighted to be returning with a new generation of musicians in 2023 – watch this space for updates!

Hurricane Irma hit Antigua

6th September 2017
06 September 2017
12:00 AM

Commonwealth Resounds began their first project

September 2017
September 30, 2017
12:00 AM

First meeting of Alison Cox MBE & Karen-Mae Hill, High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda

The Antigua project starts to take shape
April 2018
April 02, 2018
12:00 AM

First international musician visits

July 7th -18th 2019
July 06, 2019
12:00 AM

Go Compose Antigua!

July 2019
July 10, 2019
12:00 AM

Pandemic online tuition

2020-2023
Many of the young musicians who travelled to Antigua in July remained in touch with Karen-Mae and ABYSO and continued teaching the young people online.
January 01, 2021
12:00 AM

Return to Antigua planned

2023

The team assembles and begins to plan the first return trip after the pandemic to collaborate with the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra (ABYSO)
October 09, 2022
12:00 AM

Project news

Returning to Antigua and Barbuda in 2025!

Returning to Antigua and Barbuda in 2025!

Igniting Musical Journeys

Go Compose: Eastern Caribbean 2025

Join us in Antigua for musical innovation and cultural exchange, where young talents from the Eastern Caribbean come together to create and inspire.

We are delighted to share the news that Go Compose: Eastern Caribbean will return to Antigua this July! Following the enormous success of last year’s initiative, our team of international composers and educators will once again join young musicians from Antigua & Barbuda for a week of creativity, collaboration, and inspiration.

The course will include a celebratory concert taking place on Saturday 19th July. This year’s theme, Composing Beyond Boundaries, will encourage participants to explore how music interacts with other disciplines—from art and poetry to science and history—allowing them to create truly personal and original works.

Returning tutor Rosemary Ball reflected on a highlight from last year’s course:

ā€œA big highlight for me last year was rehearsing everyone’s pieces for the first time. There is something really special about hearing your own music brought to life by musicians—it often changes the way you hear it or relate to it. Watching students make final tweaks to their compositions as they began to imagine the performance was absolutely fascinating.ā€

Rosemary is particularly excited to see what ideas emerge from this year’s theme:

ā€œIt will be a great opportunity for the young composers to bring their personalities into the music and combine their wider interests with their creative work.ā€

Rosemary also noted the incredible energy and unity displayed by the Caribbean musicians:

ā€œOne thing that struck me about working with the young musicians from Antigua, Montserrat and St Kitts was how much they value collaboration and making music together. The steel pan orchestra moved as one, and everyone looked like they were having heaps of fun! Their sense of rhythm is infectious—it’s a powerful reminder of how music lives in the body as well as the mind.ā€

As ever, the programme will include composition workshops, masterclasses, and performance opportunities. Participants will work alongside professional musicians, film composers, and orchestral mentors, developing skills that extend far beyond the rehearsal room.

We look forward to another unforgettable week of musical exploration, friendship and cultural exchange. Be sure to follow our blog and social media channels for updates, stories, and performances from this extraordinary project.

The Antigua & Barbuda Roundup!

The Antigua & Barbuda Roundup!

Go Compose! Eastern Caribbean

A remarkable milestone in music education for the region.

Celebrating Creativity: "Go Compose! Eastern Caribbean"

From 14th to 20th July 2024, the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, and St Kitts and Nevis came alive with music, collaboration, and creativity through the “Go Compose! Eastern Caribbean” programme. This week-long composition training initiative, hosted by the Government and High Commission of Antigua and Barbuda and supported by The Commonwealth Resounds, was a remarkable milestone in music education for the region.

A Unique Initiative

This pioneering programme brought together 40 young musicians and seven teachers from the Eastern Caribbean, along with 10 overseas tutors from leading UK music conservatoires and universities. For many, it marked the first collaborative composition workshop of its kind, fostering a unique environment where creativity flourished.

The event built upon the efforts of the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra (ABYSO), a thriving initiative under the leadership of H.E. Karen-Mae Hill, High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda. The orchestra has been instrumental in nurturing musical talent and creating opportunities for young people, culminating in this transformative composition workshop.

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Film Composition

Under the guidance of Ka Youn Yoo, young composers crafted original scores for film, merging technology with live performance.

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Jazz Composition

Gabriel Taylor inspired students to create jazz melodies and harmonies, culminating in vibrant performances.

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Fusion

Led by Reuben Bance and Ellen Wilkinson, this group explored the ocean’s cultural significance through a blend of music, poetry, and art.

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Wind and Brass Composition

Jamie Smith led participants in composing original pieces, emphasizing improvisation and creativity.

Visiting guests

H.E. Sir Rodney Williams, Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda kindly visited the workshops to encourage all the young participants and attended the final concert of their own music. We were also delighted to be able to welcome John Hamilton MBE, the Resident British Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda, plus the Deputy High Commissioner of Barbados, Charley Williams MBE. They all showed a great deal of interest in the programme and spoke warmly to those involved. H.E. Sir Rodney Williams, Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda and his wife, Lady Williams, are Patrons of ABYSO.

Other Antiguan leaders who were invaluable to the development, preparation and and running of the project were Claudine Benjamin, C.O.O of ABYSO and Calynia Edwards, who supervised and managed the whole project so willingly and efficiently.
The project was co-directed by The Commonwealth Resounds. We believe that it was the first time that young people from different Caribbean countries had ever collaborated in a composition training programme of this kind to create new music.
In total, 40 young people and 7 teachers from all these countries were involved, working with 10 overseas tutors.

What The Participants Said

“I now have more confidence in my individuality as a musician.”

Orlando, Antigua.

“The attitude with which everyone approached composition was admirable. I’ve learnt that every student jsut needed someone to encourage and believe in them. It was so lovely to see the students inspiring each other.”

Rosemary, UK Tutor

“The steelpan workshop was a highlight for me. Learning from Khan Cordice was an unforgettable experience that deepened my appreciation for Caribbean music.”

Ethan, Nevis

“Thank you to the whole team! No small feat in putting it all together.”

Sheviona, Montserrat.

ā€œWe all had a wonderful time in Antigua and my students learned so much. Thank you to everybody who worked so hard to make it a successā€

Venelle, Music Teacher from St Kitts and Nevis)

Antigua 24 Day 8

Antigua 24 Day 8

Antigua Day 8

2024

​Day 8 culminated in a packed concert at Lucky Eddie’s in English Harbour, attended by His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams, High Commissioners Their Excellencies Karen-Mae Hill and John Hamilton MBE, along with many other distinguished guests and proud parents. The concert was a tremendous success, showcasing the hard work and talent of all the participants.

Following the concert, everyone enjoyed a wonderful meal at the restaurant, which provided a perfect opportunity for students from all the islands and the team to socialise and discuss future plans. Conversations ranged from university study to vocational training, covering topics from mental health to law. The consensus was clear: the week of music had instilled a newfound confidence in everyone, empowering them to tackle any challenge they might face.

 

Peter chatted with several students from Montserrat and Antigua, who expressed their delight at attending the course. They felt significantly more confident and were eager to return to their countries to teach using the techniques they had learned.

The standout performance of the night was a collaboration with the Montserrat group. They joined the entire TCR team on stage to sing “One More River to Cross,” a powerful narrative of the journey to escape the SoufriĆØre Hills Volcano. This performance highlighted the resilience of the Montserrat people as they fled the volcanic eruption that destroyed the capital city, Plymouth, and dramatically reduced the island’s population. The emotional lift that music can provide, even through the hardest of events, was evident to all.

Day 8 was a fitting finale to an incredible week, leaving everyone inspired and ready to achieve great things in the future. The students will be returning to their homes across the Caribbean, the team returning to the UK. Everyone has grown through this incredible experience and looks forward to building this relationship in the future. Watch this space for future developments!

Wondering what is happening in the photos? Click on the photos above to find out more about what you can see.

Find out more about our 2024 Antigua Trip

Antigua 24 day 7

Antigua 24 day 7

Antigua Day 7

2024

After the visit of the Governor General yesterday, we were delighted to welcome their excellencies, John Hamilton MBE, Resident British Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda, Charley Williams MBE, Deputy Head of Mission to Barbados and Non-Resident High Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill OBE, High Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda to the United Kingdom and member of the Commonwealth’s Board of Governors. They engaged with the group at length, learning about the course from both students and tutors.

Ā A feeling of excitement was already in the air before their visit, Reuben had demonstrated his Korean Drum as part of the fusion composition group, the compositions were coming together and rehearsals allowed students from Antigua & Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis, and Montserrat to hear the entirety of their works for the very first time.

During our breaks, Venelle Powell from St Kitts and Nevis introduced us to some local Caribbean fruits, including soursop, sugar apple, and sugar cane. The variety of flavours and types of fruits were amazing. The sugar apple was a fleshy fruit with seeds that you sucked on before spitting out the seeds once the flesh had been eaten. The soursop was deliciously sour and very soft, while the sugar cane was brittle—you bit off a small piece, sucked out the juices, and then spat out the leftover cane. We were surprised to find that the sugar cane also doubles as a toothbrush!

Final preparations meant the film group truly experienced the pressures of a recording session. This was invaluable professional development, as the realities of film composition often require strict deadlines. The students were well-prepared and managed to complete everything within the allotted time!

After the completion of the course, we cleared up the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium before heading back to the Jolly Beach Hotel, where we rehearsed and made our final preparations for tomorrow’s concert.

Wondering what is happening in the photos? Click on the photos above to find out more about what you can see.

Find out more about our 2024 Antigua Trip

Antigua 2024 day 4

Antigua 2024 day 4

Antigua Day 4

2024

Day 4 in Antigua was dedicated to a deep dive into the world of harmony. Our young composers gathered together to explore the intricate relationships between dissonance and consonance, and to investigate how different chord separations can affect the overall feel of the music.

The morning session started with an engaging discussion on the basics of harmony. The students learned about dissonance and consonance—clashing and non-clashing chords—and how these elements create tension and resolution within a piece of music. The tutors illustrated these concepts with examples from various musical genres, showing how composers use dissonance to build suspense and consonance to provide relief.

 

Next, the students experimented with creating their own harmonic progressions. They worked in small groups, each tasked with composing a short piece that employed both dissonant and consonant chords. This hands-on approach allowed them to hear the immediate impact of their harmonic choices and understand how subtle changes can dramatically alter the mood and emotion of a piece.

The next step was to move the focus to chord separations. Demonstrating how spreading out the notes of a chord—placing them in different octaves or giving each note to a different instrument—can change the texture and feel of the harmony. The students then tried techniques in their compositions, experimenting with various ways to voice their chords.

After a day working on our compositions and integrating newfound skills, the day culminated in a sharing session, where each group presented their compositions. The variety of harmonic textures and the creative use of dissonance and consonance were truly impressive. It was clear that the students had not only grasped the theoretical concepts but also begun to develop their own unique voices.

Adding to the excitement of the day, our team was featured on the national breakfast TV programme, Good Morning Antigua. Key tutors Ellen and Ka Youn, along with Alison Cox, were interviewed, sharing insights about our project and the impact it is having on the young musicians. Our wind duo, Rosemary and Lily, performed a new fanfare written especially for the occasion, showcasing the talent and creativity of our participants.

Wondering what is happening in the photos? Click on the photos above to find out more about what you can see.

Find out more about our 2024 Antigua Trip