Jso News

JSO NEWS
JUNE 2015
Breaking News on the Classical Scene in Jamaica
Jamaicas Next VioliN Doctor

Walking in the footsteps of Dr. Lisa Walker is not an easy task, but for Joelle
Lee, this is natural as Dr. Walker has been her first and primary teacher. In
addition, Joelle has been teacher-training with the Doctor for over one year
and has participated in almost all of the studio performances as part of her
training to become a top Violin/ Viola instructor on the island.
Joelle Lee
Joelle Lee coaching Saorla Kenny on the viola
JSO News recently observed Joelle working with Saorla Kenny, one of Dr.
Walkers young violists. Like the Violin Doctor, Joelle calmly scanned Saorlas
thoughts and feelings then allowed her to freely express these on her viola
while Joelle skilfully refined her technique. It was a beautiful sight to watch.
Joelles Business Card at 9 yrs.

Joelle Lee at 9 years old
Dr. Walker discovered Joelle at Mona Preparatory School at age 7 and immediately brought her into her private studio where she was molded into a fine
violinist. At age 9, Joelle printed her first business card and was one of Dr.
Walkers youngest entrepreneurs. Her first job entailed playing the melody of
popular wedding songs, including Trumpet Voluntary and Pachelbels Canon. The contractors were quite pleased to have classical music for a fraction
of the cost of hiring a professional musician. In addition, the contractors enjoyed the concept of having a miniature musician perform at their wedding.
Now a graduate of the University of the West Indies with a degree in business,
Joelle is committed to making music a permanent part of her life and is a few
steps away from receiving her professional certification in violin performance.
Isabel Chen, CELLO

Award delivered by the Minister of Education,
the Hon Reverend Ronald Thwaites
Clean Sweep!
Dr. Walkers students received the highest scores

in the recent ABRSM exam in Jamaica
At the end of the ABRSM High Scorers Concert held at UWI Chapel on June 14, one thing
was clear: Dr. Walkers students are at the top in all the string instrumentsnot just violin.
All of her students received distinctions in the prestigious London based ABRSM exam and
all the ABRSM High Score Awards in Jamaica for string instruments went to her students.
Isabel Chen received the award for the highest score in Jamaica for cello, while Jada Walker received the award for the highest score for the viola. In addition, Ellie Hind received
not only the highest score for violin, but also the highest score overall in Jamaica.
It is the first time that Dr. Walkers students are participating in the ABRSM
exam and their awards brought back
memory of the FFMC Finals in Jacksonville, Florida where her students received
nine trophies.
Ellie Hind, VIOLIN
The ABRSM High Scorers Concert is

held each year to recognize students who
receive high scores in the ABRSM exam.
Only students who receive distinctions
are invited to attend with their teachers.
All of Dr. Walkers students who took the
exam were invited.
Jada Walker, VIOLA
Dr. Lisa Walker congratulating ABRSMs local representative, Kathryn Lawson, on a job well done!
Luke Walker, CELLO

Danyella Richards, VIOLIN
Next Generation in the News
The outstanding performance of the Next Generation String Quartet at the Celebrity wedding in Frankfort in Ocho Rios on June 6, 2015
made the news. According to feedback from wedding guests, the
quartets performance was considered the highlight of the wedding.
The quartet members were like celebrities at the wedding. Their many
admirers included multibillionaire and Virgin Atlantic Airline founder,
Richard Branson, who seized the opportunity to take a photo with the
young stars of the evening.
On June 12, 2015, the Jamaica Observer featured the young musicians on its front page in arms with Oscar-Winning actress from the
Titanic movie, Kate Winslet, who attended the wedding. The newspaper followed with a full spread of the event on its popular and exclusive
Page 2 with several photos of the members of the string quartet.
Celebrity Photographer and Groom, Jack Brockway, and other guests,

congratulating members of the Next Generation String Quartet.
The Next Generation String Quartet was launched by Dr.

Lisa Walker in December 2014 to create a young musical
force in the world. In January 2015, the group created
history when it competed in the Florida Federation of Music Club Competition from Jamaica by video conference. It
was the first time in the history of the competition that video conferencing was used. The judges in Florida were
impressed and gave the group the highest rating. This
qualified them for the Finals, which they won in May 2015.
Since then, requests for the quartet to perform have been
pouring in with bookings going into next year. The quartet
has also received invitations for interviews with the media.
Members of the Next Generation with Virgin Atlantic Airlines founder, Richard Branson
at the celebrity wedding in Ocho Rios in Jamaica on Saturday, June 6, 2015.
LR: Luke Walker, Danyella Richards, Richard Branson, Ellie Hind, Jada Walker
The group is currently participating in an advanced music

camp at the University of Miami where they are scheduled
to perform in a concert before returning to Jamaica.
Tropical Rhythms: A String Project in Jamaica (Extract) - Part 7

Tropical Rhythms, a String Project in Jamaica, transpired from 1997 to 2001 under the leadership of Dr. Lisa Walker, who later submitted
the project as partial fulfilment of the requirements for her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Claremont Graduate University in California.
The following is a continuation of the extract from the project.
The Mother-Tongue and Reggae Twinkle

Ivan Galamian states that each student has a natural and individual approach to the violin and to music. Moreover, the application of the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music, an approach espoused by the Suzuki Method, is
termed mother-tongue pedagogy. Pamela OGorman, in her publication titled The first 21 years in the life of the Jamaica
School of Music, acknowledges that European classical music is a foreign language to the children of Jamaica. The musical
tongue of Jamaica is Reggae music, which has elements of Calypso, soul and rock and is characterized by a strongly accentuated offbeat. Thus, the addition of reggae rhythms to classical music appeared to be an effective way to introduce new art forms
associated with classical music in Jamaica.
One example of my attempt to combine European and Jamaican music cultures is a selection I taught to beginning students entitled Reggae Twinkle. This syncopated adaptation of the Twinkle Variations from the Suzuki Method accentuates the offbeat,
which is characteristic of Reggae Music. The absolute beginners played this rhythm on open strings until left-hand technique was
sufficiently established.
Reggae Twinkle
An additional concept, which I explored, was the incorporation of

indigenous instruments into western classical ensembles and genres. In one of our bi-annual concerts, Michael Hewitt, child soloist
and arranger on the congo drums,
was featured with the projects
string orchestra. Michael performed his own arrangement of
Little Drummer Boy on our
Strings at Christmas concert.
Continued in the next JSO Newsletter
Dr. Lisa Walkers String Orchestra in Concert in December 2001.

Michael Hewitt, Congo Drum Soloist with Joelle Lee as Concertmaster.

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Breaking News on the Classical Scene in Jamaica

Jamaicas Next VioliN Doctor

Joelle Lee coaching Saorla Kenny on the viola

Joelles Business Card at 9 yrs.

Isabel Chen, CELLO

Dr. Walkers students received the highest scores

Ellie Hind, VIOLIN

The ABRSM High Scorers Concert is

Jada Walker, VIOLA

Luke Walker, CELLO

Next Generation in the News

Celebrity Photographer and Groom, Jack Brockway, and other guests,

The Next Generation String Quartet was launched by Dr.

The group is currently participating in an advanced music

Tropical Rhythms: A String Project in Jamaica (Extract) - Part 7

The Mother-Tongue and Reggae Twinkle

An additional concept, which I explored, was the incorporation of

Continued in the next JSO Newsletter

Dr. Lisa Walkers String Orchestra in Concert in December 2001.

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