Commonwealth Music Ambassadors
The Young Music Ambassadors programme aims to build a network of pioneering young music leaders who are championing their musical culture and young musical voices in their country. Each Ambassador will be connected to Commonwealth Resounds events and projects, meet and discuss ideas with other countries’ Ambassadors, and inspire young people to get involved with music locally and internationally.
Leaders in Music
Experience the vibrant blend of musical styles and traditions from diverse cultures.
Bringing people together
Connect with musicians worldwide to create harmonious collaborations.
Inspiring others
Witness breathtaking performances that highlight the beauty of cultural diversity.
Meet the Ambassadors
United Kingdom
Ellen Wilkinson
Ellen Wilkinson, based in South London, graduated from the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in July 2023 with First Class Honours. She received the prestigious Irene Humber Prize for the highest Woodwind recital mark. Professionally, Ellen has performed with the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra and at the Dorset Opera Festival, showcasing her talent in several chamber ensembles.
Flabie Enar Lope
Flabie Loape is an African instrumentalist, born and raised in Lesotho. Her music draws on traditional genres with a jazzy, meditative feel, celebrating culture and Africanism through sound. She created the theme song for the multi-award-winning film Lieme ka Lekoa, in which six of her songs are also featured, and has also composed music for the film Kabelo.
She created an outro song, in spoken word, for Lesotho’s bicentennial documentary Moshoeshoe’s Strategic Leadership, and has co-composed the 2026 Commonwealth Games Dance Relay song, Africa Theme. Her work has also been published in a manuscript by the University of the Free State. As a figure in Lesotho’s music scene, Flabie uses her art to promote and preserve African indigenous instruments.
Lesotho
Solomon Islands
Philton Solomona
Born into a rich musical lineage of Samoan and Rotuman heritage, Philton Solomona is an arranger, composer, music educator and multi-instrumentalist whose work supports the development of classical and choral music in the Pacific. He is the son of pioneering composer Ueta Solomona OS and Susau F.K. Solomona, Music and Performing Arts Lecturer at the National University of Samoa.
Philton is Co-Founder and Music Director of SolFa Music Samoa, alongside Rosaiviti Solomona and Olivia Hogarth, an organisation dedicated to nurturing local talent through education, performance and musical opportunities. He is also Co-Founder of Liusheng UP, a music performance training group in Wuhan, China. A passionate advocate for youth development, Philton helps young people build confidence, discipline and essential skills through music, while creating bridges between Pacific oral traditions and the global classical stage.
Stephen Nwosu
Stephen Nwosu is a Nigerian singer, music educator and performer from Lagos. He began his musical journey at the age of 15 as a tenor in his church choir, and has since developed a wide-ranging career in performance, teaching and composition. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Estate Management from Yaba College of Technology and a Diploma in Music from the MUSON School of Music, alongside ABRSM Grade 8 Voice with Distinction and Grade 7 Music Theory.
Stephen has taught music in a range of schools, specialising in theory, saxophone and clarinet. He has also served as Assistant Music Director at St Stephen’s Anglican Church Choir, leading rehearsals and performances. Co-founder and lead vocalist of Mezzo Streams A Cappella, he was named Best Prolific Hymn Writer at Hymnodia Season 2 and continues to build a dynamic career blending classical and contemporary influences.
Nigeria
Brunei Darussalam
Deon Ong
Deon Ong is an experienced music educator with over 27 years of teaching across Brunei, Singapore, and Australia. She is the founder and principal of Yippy Tune Music School and has taught with Yamaha Singapore, Kindermusik, and Simply Music in Australia.
In 2023, she led 27 students to represent Brunei in a collaboration with The Commonwealth Resounds, featured at King Charles’ Coronation Concert and broadcast globally by the BBC. Deon has also performed at international events, including the MTV Asia Awards, and received the Most Outstanding Music Teacher Award from the University of Southern Queensland.
She is widely respected for coaching high-profile clients and conducting masterclasses and adjudications at music festivals. In 2024, she served as a jury member for local events in Brunei. In 2025, she collaborated with SM Entertainment Korea, expanding her presence in the international music industry while continuing to support youth development through music.
Elijah Kiwalabye
Elijah Kiwalabye is a Christian minister in his local church and the Founder/Executive Director of Thrive Music Academy Africa, based in Kampala, Uganda. A Professional Primary Teacher who graduated from Kyambogo University, he is also a multi talented musician inspired by his mother, Nanyonga Margret, who introduced him and his siblings to church hymns, poetry, and African folk songs using improvised instruments like jerrycans.
Elijah currently teaches both African native and Western musical instruments. Through his non-profit organization, he has discovered and nurtured young musical talents across various Ugandan communities, many of whom excel in international music examinations organized by ABRSM (UK). He has directed several children’s choirs, including Thrive Music Academy Africa, which participated in performances for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the Coronation Concert of King Charles III, broadcast live on BBC News.
He also serves as Chairperson of the Pan African Choir Uganda and is an active choral singer.
Uganda
Cameroon
Teh Hope
Teh Hope Ning, known as T. Hope, is a Cameroonian songwriter, music director, and tutor recognized for his versatility across spiritual, traditional, and educational music. His journey began in secondary school through a cappella groups, but gained direction in 2006 when he joined the University of Yaounde I choir, The Glorious Voices, where he studied formal music theory.
By 2008, he became a music director, leading performances locally and internationally while developing his songwriting. A major highlight came in 2016 when he directed the choir during concerts in Italy, sharing Cameroonian culture abroad.
Between 2011 and 2014, he trained as an English teacher at the University of Bamenda, co-founding its choir and contributing to its anthem. Returning to Yaounde I, he helped the choir win multiple UNIFAC titles.
In 2023, he founded Hope Music Academy, promoting character development through comprehensive music education and training programs.