In May, the students of Alpha School of Music (ASOM), were featured in not one, but two major concerts put on by the school as it closes out its final semester of the current academic year.
Journey: ASOM Graduates’ Final Year Show
On May 8, the final year Alpha School of Music students dazzled audiences putting on the final year show which they aptly named “Journey”. To complete their Associates Degree programme, students are required to plan, produce and perform at a concert by themselves; spearheading every detail from arranging the lighting and sound, to planning rehearsals and incorporating guest performers. This gives them real-world experience in not just music performance, but also show production. The show title, “Journey,” expressed the educational and artistic journey that each of the five students have been on over the past four years and alludes to the road ahead to their future careers.
The concert was dynamic with a wide range of musical genres and performance styles and represented. The audience was treated to classical music, Samba, Jazz, Ska, Reggae, Pop and more. Standout performances included a Jazz rendition of “Jericho,” Bob Marley’s “Could you be loved” (which was performed with Marcia Griffiths – who used to sing in the I Threes as backup for Bob Marley & Wailers – in the audience) and “Lot’s Wife”. Several of the pieces performed were written and/or arranged by the students themselves. Notably, Zuri Gordon’s digital piece “I Want you around” used a loop machine to layer vocals and instrumentation – showcasing the music technology skills learned. This and other pieces also featured choreographed dances by guest performers.
Upward & Onward concert 2025
A week later, ASOM held its annual Upward & Onward concert which showcased the talents of the entire student body as part of their academic assessments. Students from varying year groups performed songs from genres like Jamaican Folk, Rocksteady, Reggae, Dancehall and more. While the final year students did one tremendous performance, the spotlight shone mostly on the lower year students throughout the evening. Performances from the Alpha Community Band also added to the night.
Memorable moments included the audience’s call for an encore following the students’ rendition of “Africa” by Toto; a performance which notably involved the young musicians swapping instruments with each other mid-song. The night ended with a rousing performance of the Dominican tune “Vale La Pena” which caused members of the audience to get up off their feet and dance in front of the stage.
These two events are major testaments to the time, dedication and commitment which students have poured into their musical education at Alpha. Their obvious talent and flair for performing has never failed to impress audiences and bode extremely well for their future careers in music.
