Dear Editor,
Open letter to the Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller:
In the wake of the passing of Dr Olive Lewin, "Jamaica's most important musical icon in the pantheon of cultural heroes"— to quote great Jamaican pianist Dr Paul Shaw — Music Unites Jamaica Foundation (MUJF) wishes to bring to your attention one of the greatest needs of the musical fraternity at large, which is an independent Centre for Music.
I had the privilege to learn from Dr Lewin by talking to her for hours and experiencing many concerts and rehearsals of her legendary group, The Jamaican Folk Singers. But where did I meet her two-plus decades ago? It was when she was rehearsing the group at her home on Hillcrest Avenue. This wonderful choir had no other place to rehearse 25 years ago, and it is tragic to say that not much has changed since.
The harsh reality is that many of the great choirs, as well as a variety of orchestras in Jamaica, have no home. They all are depending on the mercy of a school or a church or other public locations to rehearse. We often hear that sports need more recognition and funding, but there is no comparison to how many sports facilities exist in Jamaica, while music has almost none.
There has been a Sports Development Foundation operating for years, but where is the Arts Development Foundation? Sports have more than one stadium, but the Arts have only one — Ward Theatre, which is in disrepair; and a convention centre in Montego Bay, which is far out of reach in terms of affordability for smaller local performances. We would like to humbly ask, where would one feature Dr Lewin's work publicly, if there is no centre for ongoing musical exhibitions?
Since 2009, MUJF has intensely lobbied for a long-term lease of the historical property at 62 Lady Musgrave Road, where, in 1947, the first offices of the University of the West Indies were opened. This house and land would be the most ideal space in Kingston for this, what we call the Samuel Felsted Institute (SFI).
Samuel Felsted (1743 - 1802) is Jamaica's first documented composer, but who knows about him? A musical learning centre named after him would consciously and subconsciously imprint this important musical fact in the psyche of the Jamaican people and cultural tourists.
We earnestly plead that you, Madam Prime Minister, act swiftly to assist us in securing this wonderful old building for the establishment of the first independent music centre in Jamaica. We have an outline of the utilisation and potential offerings at this centre, such as being the home of a premier orchestra in Jamaica, with the necessary teaching and practice rooms, as well as a musical instrument repair shop. The land offers space for a small amphitheatre where on Saturday mornings children could once again enjoy a morning of 'Ring Ding' like in the days of Miss Lou.
We are fully aware that this property is in the heart of a residential area, therefore, we would assure the citizens in the Lady Musgrave vicinity that we promise not to have any noisy activity after 10 pm, and no loud amplified music in general.
We are very disheartened to read in recent newspaper publications that the NIF is planning to seek permission to build townhouses on this historical property. As the area has been referred to as the 'Golden Triangle', then the golden opportunity to save a historical building should never be missed. To preserve the culture of one's nation is more precious than any monetary figure could describe. After all, the truth is, as quoted by the late Edna Manley: "It is the arts that hold Jamaica together."
May Dr Lewin's spirit smile on us from heaven.
Rosina Christina Moder, MA Mus (Hons)
Executive Director
Music Unites Jamaica Foundation
musicunites.jamaica@gmail.com
Honour Lewin, honour the Arts, PM
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Open letter to the Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller:
In the wake of the passing of Dr Olive Lewin, "Jamaica's most important musical icon in the pantheon of cultural heroes"— to quote great Jamaican pianist Dr Paul Shaw — Music Unites Jamaica Foundation (MUJF) wishes to bring to your attention one of the greatest needs of the musical fraternity at large, which is an independent Centre for Music.
I had the privilege to learn from Dr Lewin by talking to her for hours and experiencing many concerts and rehearsals of her legendary group, The Jamaican Folk Singers. But where did I meet her two-plus decades ago? It was when she was rehearsing the group at her home on Hillcrest Avenue. This wonderful choir had no other place to rehearse 25 years ago, and it is tragic to say that not much has changed since.
The harsh reality is that many of the great choirs, as well as a variety of orchestras in Jamaica, have no home. They all are depending on the mercy of a school or a church or other public locations to rehearse. We often hear that sports need more recognition and funding, but there is no comparison to how many sports facilities exist in Jamaica, while music has almost none.
There has been a Sports Development Foundation operating for years, but where is the Arts Development Foundation? Sports have more than one stadium, but the Arts have only one — Ward Theatre, which is in disrepair; and a convention centre in Montego Bay, which is far out of reach in terms of affordability for smaller local performances. We would like to humbly ask, where would one feature Dr Lewin's work publicly, if there is no centre for ongoing musical exhibitions?
Since 2009, MUJF has intensely lobbied for a long-term lease of the historical property at 62 Lady Musgrave Road, where, in 1947, the first offices of the University of the West Indies were opened. This house and land would be the most ideal space in Kingston for this, what we call the Samuel Felsted Institute (SFI).
Samuel Felsted (1743 - 1802) is Jamaica's first documented composer, but who knows about him? A musical learning centre named after him would consciously and subconsciously imprint this important musical fact in the psyche of the Jamaican people and cultural tourists.
We earnestly plead that you, Madam Prime Minister, act swiftly to assist us in securing this wonderful old building for the establishment of the first independent music centre in Jamaica. We have an outline of the utilisation and potential offerings at this centre, such as being the home of a premier orchestra in Jamaica, with the necessary teaching and practice rooms, as well as a musical instrument repair shop. The land offers space for a small amphitheatre where on Saturday mornings children could once again enjoy a morning of 'Ring Ding' like in the days of Miss Lou.
We are fully aware that this property is in the heart of a residential area, therefore, we would assure the citizens in the Lady Musgrave vicinity that we promise not to have any noisy activity after 10 pm, and no loud amplified music in general.
We are very disheartened to read in recent newspaper publications that the NIF is planning to seek permission to build townhouses on this historical property. As the area has been referred to as the 'Golden Triangle', then the golden opportunity to save a historical building should never be missed. To preserve the culture of one's nation is more precious than any monetary figure could describe. After all, the truth is, as quoted by the late Edna Manley: "It is the arts that hold Jamaica together."
May Dr Lewin's spirit smile on us from heaven.
Rosina Christina Moder, MA Mus (Hons)
Executive Director
Music Unites Jamaica Foundation
musicunites.jamaica@gmail.com
Honour Lewin, honour the Arts, PM
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