Music to the ear - Alpha hits a high note

In a stirring ceremony filled with pride, applause, and a few misty eyes, Alpha School of Music (ASOM) made history last Thursday, as it conferred its first-ever associate degrees in music performance to five bold and talented young musicians.

The event, hosted in the Sister Ignatius Hospitality Room on Alpha's iconic South Camp Road campus, marked a triumphant moment for Jamaica's only tertiary-level ensemble performance programme.

The trailblazing graduates -- Jonathan Gordon (drums/percussion), Alejandro Keating (bass guitar), Zuri Aiko Gordon (violin/vocals), Sanje Landell (percussion), and Matthew Reid (keyboards) -- are the first to complete Alpha's dynamic and forward-thinking curriculum, where students can major in either performance or music technology.

The evening was a celebration not just of academic achievement, but of dreams nurtured and destinies rewritten.

With their degrees in hand, these five young musicians are now poised to shape the soundscape of Jamaica and beyond.

Gordon, a football standout at Mona High School in St Andrew, gave one of the ceremony's most heartfelt addresses. The Sandy Park native revealed the tough decision he faced when international clubs expressed interest in signing him. Staying in Jamaica to pursue music at Alpha meant giving up a promising sports career -- and betting everything on an uncertain future in music.

"On the first day I felt doubtful, confused, and nervous, and on the last day I feel hopeful, elevative, and victorious," he said.

Described as a virtuoso on drums, Gordon's powerful delivery struck a chord with the audience.

"I felt like a dunce because I did not read music at that time, but it was also the same time I appreciated the [Alpha] ensemble," he admitted, as he fondly recalled the bond formed with his classmates through shared rhythms and group learning.

The stage also belonged to Zuri Aiko Gordon, the first woman to graduate from the Alpha School of Music. A violinist and vocalist with an eye on stardom, she walked through Alpha's gates with nerves -- and left a trail of inspiration.

"The first day of school was a little bit scary, very exciting, and hopeful. As the only girl there, I'm setting history... I heard about the Skatalites and Alpha, so that was really cool," she said.

Zuri, who plans to build her own brand as a singing artiste, said Alpha exposed her to something rare -- a violinist thriving in a modern band setting.

"I was really able to delve into building my understanding of music and playing with a [pop] band... it really opened me up to playing in a band with bass, drums and a piano. I just got more experience and now I can play on the road with different types of musicians."

Director of Music, Gay Magnus, visibly proud, told the audience that the ASOM is a bold evolution of Alpha's 129-year legacy in music education.

"When the Sisters of Mercy launched the Alpha School of Music in 2021, it was on the shoulders of 129 years of music education on this campus. The hope was that this new generation of Alpha musicians, the new Alpharians, would take up the baton, and continue the legacy of innovation and excellence. I believe we can safely say that hope was well placed and that this first cohort will indeed be good ambassadors for brand Alpha."