Our Work
Research on Jamaican Composers |
It is an unfortunate reality all over the world that the invaluable work of creators in the various art forms is often taken for granted. However, in societies with thorough historical documentation, the life and works of the most outstanding composers, writers, and visual artists are well researched, and these facts are integrated into various tools of dissemination. Chief among these are: print publications; their integration into school curricula; as well as preservations by various forms of archiving. Music Unites Co-founder Rosina Moder, accustomed to basic knowledge of a country’s most important composers being integrated into school curricula at the secondary and tertiary level, was determined to create a strategic listing and historical account of the achievements of the Jamaican masters of Creative Expressions, especially in music, outside of the popular genre.
One would need to engage in intense social discussions to analyze why this documentation of the past is missing in Jamaica. Though initially shy, Rosina Moder began asking questions, mindful of the sensitive subject matter concerning Jamaica’s colonial past. After having the honour of meeting many great personalities who have created music on this wonderful island, she discovered her passion for documenting and promoting their works. Under the umbrella of our NGO Music Unites Jamaica Foundation, we continue that work that was started over thirty years ago, collecting research and compiling the facts. Thanks to the sponsorship of the Jamaica National Foundation, we will be able to not only offer our findings here on this website, but also through the publishing of posters and a handbook, specially written for use in the music curriculum of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. It is our aim that Samuel Felsted, Sir Frederic Hyman Cowen, Oswald Russell, Don Shirley, Eleanor Alberga and Peter Ashbourne, amongst others, shall soon become household names for the citizens of this astonishing island, Jamaica! |