RELAY FOR LIFE 1

FRIENDS FUNDRAISING 1

DIASPORA CONFERENCE 1

CWC DONATION 2

PETROCARIBE ANNIVERSARY 2

JAMAICA MUSIC CAMP 2

BARRY TUCKWELL 3

SUMMER MUSIC CAMP 3

CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS 3-4

SIR WILLARD WHITE 4

SPONSORS 4

Inside this issue:

Summer 2015

Volume 6 Issue 3

NYOJ Artistic Director is Panelist at Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay

Brass Quintet Performs at ‘Relay for Life’

The National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ) is a non-profit, non-government organisation engaged in empowering Jamaican youths from vulnerable social groups through classical music training for performance in orchestras. Our program stimulates the

emotional, social and intellectual development of participants and builds confidence, self-esteem and self-awareness among other attributes necessary for individual‟s progress, success and achievement in the world.

JDF Bandmaster Paul Johnson

NYOJ‟s Brass Quintet performed at the Jamaica Cancer Society‟s „Relay for Life‟ on June 13th, 2015. After the performance, JDF Bandmaster, Paul Johnson, spoke to the students about the possibility of joining the JDF Band in the future.

Friends Foundation Holds Fundraising Event in Ottawa

The Friends of the NYOJ Foundation in Ottawa held a fundraising event for the NYOJ at Her Excellency, High Commis-sioner Janice Miller‟s Residence in Ottawa on July 7th, 2015.

6th Biennial Diaspora Conference

Artistic Director Ann McNamee

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CWC Donates Viola on Behalf of Canadian High Commissioner and Wife

At the Canadian Women's Club (CWC) AGM on June 9th, the women generously donated a viola to the NYOJ on behalf of long-time supporters and friends, Canadian High Commissioner Robert Ready and his wife, Mrs Joanne Ready in honour of all the meaningful work they have done in Jamaica. They are finishing their work in Jamaica in August and will be greatly missed by the entire NYOJ

Family.

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the PetroCaribe Agree-ment between Jamaica and Venezuela and as a recipient of funding from the PetroCaribe Development Fund, NYOJ students were delighted to perform at the celebration on

June 29th.

PetroCaribe Anniversary Performance

Venezuelan Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency, Jacqueline Mendoza Ortega

Five NYOJ students re-ceived scholarships from generous donors to cover the full cost of attending the Jamaica Music Camp in at the Tryall Golf and Country Club in Hanover this July. Participants improved their music skills while experiencing interesting and exciting activ-ities like swimming with dolphins, nature hikes, beach visits and much more. World Renowned French Horn Player Barry Tuckwell also attended the camp to work with the brass students. We are so thankful to Leora O‟Car-roll and all of the sponsors for helping to create memories that will last a

lifetime for our students.

Jamaica Music Camp

Venezuelan Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency, Jacqueline Mendoza Ortega with NYOJ Students

Master Horn Player Barry Tuckwell and NYOJ Student

Jamaica Music Camp

The Friends of the NYOJ Foundation in Ottawa, Canada, awarded the NYOJ with a generous grant to cover the full cost of the NYOJ‟s Summer Music Camp in August. Funding included the cost of paying for 19 instructors, supplies, lunches, snacks,

and a concert on the last day of camp. Twenty Five NYOJ Students travelled to Canada for the

“Canada Dream Tour” in August of 2014 where they were able to finally meet members of the Friends Foundation who

have supported the program for so many years. The Friends of the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica Foun-dation was established by a group of volunteers in Ottawa in 2011, to support the work of the NYOJ. They are a Canadian

registered charitable organization. The NYOJ students and staff are grateful for the continued

support of such a generous and thoughtful group of Canadians.

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World Renowned Horn Player Holds Masterclass with NYOJ and JDF

World renowned musician Barry Tuckwell OBE travelling to Jamaica to hold a masterclass for members of the NYOJ and the JDF on July 23rd at the Pegasus. Mr. Tuckwell is considered

to be the finest French Horn player in the world as well as a revered as a conductor, educator and author. The masterclass was made possible by the British High Commission and Leora

O'Carroll Downer and Richard Downer.

Friends of the NYOJ Foundation Sponsor NYOJ Summer Music Camp

Canadians Visit Jamaica to Volunteer at Summer Camp Marlene Blackburn travelled to Ja-maica to volunteer at NYOJ‟s Sum-mer Music Camp. She has her Mas-ters in Music Technology, is a teach-er, flautist, composer and conductor and has been volunteering with the NYOJ for over 3 years. As NYOJ‟s Canadian Composer in Residence, Marlene has composed and arranged numerous pieces for the NYOJ including some of our very favourites!

Friends of the NYOJ Foundation and NYOJ during Canada Dream Tour, August 2014

NYOJ Students and Barry Tuckwell

NYOJ Brass Quintet Performing for Barry Tuckwell

Masterclass at the Pegasus Hotel

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The NYOJ had19 Instructors on hand for our intensive Music Camp from

August 10th—14th at Camperdown High School. The camp involved classes in music theory and conducting, small group or one-on-one tutoring, and in the afternoon, Junior and Senior Orchestra and Symphonic band rehearsals. After classes, students were given the opportunity to stay later for extra practice, Chamber groups or to learn fun skills like crochet, photography and media.

Students arrived bright and early in the morning and didn‟t want to leave at the end of the day, they were enjoying themselves so much. The week long camp culminated in an engaging concert where both the Orchestras and the Symphonic Band performed along with the senior chamber groups. The music room at Camperdown High School was overflowing with enthusiastic audience members who expressed how impressed they were with the talent displayed during the performances.

Nancy Lokan is a professional violinist and teach-er trained in the Suzuki method, and along with her son David, volunteered with NYOJ‟s Music Camp for the 3rd time this summer. About her experience, Nancy said “I am passionate about teaching violin and working with amazing, talent-ed and appreciative youth. Learning with the students of the National Youth Orchestra of Ja-maica at their annual summer music camp is one of my very favourite things to do. Thank you

for giving me the gift of this fabulous enrichment.” Nancy‟s son David is a composition student at Western University, and enjoyed his time working with the string students, conducting the Junior Orchestra and teaching theory classes.

Excellent Instructors at Music Camp

Internationally renowned Jamaican opera singer, Sir Willard White and his wife, brilliant soprano Lady Sylvia Kevorkian visited the NYOJ‟s Summer Music Camp on August 11th. Sir Willard was born in Kingston, and commenced formal musical training at the Jamaica School of Music and then continued his studies at The Julliard School in New York. Since his operatic debut with the New York City Opera in 1974, Sir Willard has performed in concert halls throughout the world, in-cluding the Covent Garden and Royal Opera in England; the Metropolitan Opera in New York as well as opera houses in Amsterdam, Netherlands; Munich, Germany; Paris, France and Madrid in Spain. In recognition of his extraordinary contribution to classical music, Sir Willard has received several awards during his career including

the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) and the Gold Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica. He was presented with the Order of Merit in 2000 by the Government of Jamaica. Sir Willard was knighted in 2004 in the Birthday Honours of Queen Elizabeth II. Sir Willard and Lady Sylvia gave inspirational speeches and advise to the students during their visit, talking about the power of music to change lives and encouraging them to never giving up. They also treated the students to some musical numbers which thrilled the students, and even had a couple of them in tears they were so over-whelmed by the performance. On Aug.12, Sir Willard invited some of the NYOJ students to the last performance of „Elijah‟ along with the National Choral and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Jamaica. The Students really enjoyed the performance and especially seeing Sir Willard and Lady Sylvia again.

Sir Willard White and Lady Sylvia Visit NYOJ

The Lokans Volunteer at Summer Camp

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The NYOJ uses music education as a tool for social empowerment, engaging at-risk youths with an intensive and challenging program in order to develop core values such as self-esteem, teamwork, discipline and perseverance. Our hopes for this program are high, and in order to achieve and maintain our goals we need a steady stream of support

from our sponsors and volunteers.

For information about getting involved or contributing to the NYOJ please contact us at:

nationalyouthorchestrajamaica@gmail.com or (876) 561 6252

Visit our Website: www.nyoj.org or one of our other social media sites:

/nationalyouthorchestrajamaica /National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica

@NYOJ1 @NYOJ1

We would like to thank all those who support us as we strive to realize and maintain our life-changing program:

Island Outpost, Seprod, Facey Group Ltd., Digicel Foundation, NCB Foundation, Supreme Ventures Foundation, Ideal Group, PetroCaribe Development Fund, JSIF (Jamaica Social Investment Fund), US Department of State, Food for the

Poor, Spanish-Jamaica Foundation, Russian Embassy, the Canadian High Commission

We would also like to extend our appreciation to: The Friends of the National Youth Orchestra Foundation and Camperdown High School

For their support of our summer music camp

NYOJ In The News

Article on the NYOJ‟s Summer Music Camp Concert http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20150818/summer-camp-ends-musical-high#.VdMQbnaEr10.mailto

Find all of the Videos from the Summer Camp Concert by Visiting our YouTube Site: https://www.youtube.com/user/NYOJamaica

Get Involved

NYOJ Students