Alpha School of Music returns to Supernova Festival

Washington DC.

The rich musical legacy of Kingston’s historic Alpha School of Music will once again take centrestage in the United States when students and staff of the 146-year-old institution travel to Hampton, Virginia, for the Supernova International Ska Festival on September 12 and 13.

The visit will mark the fifth consecutive year that the Alpha School of Music has participated in the festival, regarded as the largest event in the United States dedicated exclusively to ska music.

For Alpha, the annual pilgrimage is more than simply an opportunity to perform or attend a festival. It has become an important educational experience, connecting a new generation of Jamaican musicians with the history, culture and international influence of a genre that was born in Jamaica.

“Many thanks to our generous and committed supporters in Jamaica and from the Supernova Ska community for making this unique opportunity possible for Alpha students and staff,” said Gay Magnus, Alpha’s director of music.

“The Supernova Ska experience is practically a part of the Alpha curriculum. That is how important it is in connecting students with the music and concepts we are teaching.”

Alpha’s participation is being supported by generous Supernova patrons, S Hotels Jamaica, Budget Car Rentals Jamaica and clothing brand Jamaica Nice.

Carrying Forward a Proud Legacy

The connection between Alpha and ska music runs deep.

Ska emerged in Jamaica during the early 1960s when young musicians, including students from the then Alpha Boys School, helped forge a new sound by blending jazz influences with Afro-Jamaican musical traditions.

Over the decades, Alpha produced some of Jamaica’s most celebrated musicians, many of whom went on to become pioneers of ska, rocksteady, reggae and jazz.

Among its illustrious past students are Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Rico Rodriguez, Lester Sterling, Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore, Vin Gordon, Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks and Yellowman.

Yellowman, a two-time Grammy nominee and former Alpha student, is also among the artistes scheduled to perform at this year’s Supernova Festival, where he will take the stage on Sunday, September 13.

The two-day festival will feature approximately 30 bands representing different eras and interpretations of ska music from around the world.

Since its launch in 2014, Supernova has developed a reputation for bringing together legendary Jamaican performers and international ska acts. Foundation artistes such as Derrick Morgan and Stranger Cole have shared the stage with groups including The Aggrolites from the United States, Pauline Black from the United Kingdom and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra from Japan.

Festival director Tim Receveur said Alpha has become an integral part of the Supernova experience.

“The Alpha School of Music’s connection to ska is part of the history that makes the genre so important, and its students are carrying that legacy forward,” Receveur said.

“Our relationship with Alpha gives Supernova audiences the opportunity to meet the next generation of Jamaican musicians while giving Alpha students experiences and connections that they cannot get anywhere else. We are proud to support Alpha and to welcome its students to Supernova each year.”

Learning Beyondthe Classroom

While at the festival, Alpha students will gain first-hand exposure to the business and organisational side of the music industry.

They will learn about event production, promotion and logistics, while also networking with musicians, festival patrons and other industry professionals.

The weekend will also include a charity event headlined by legendary New York ska band, The Slackers.

The partnership has already generated tangible benefits for music education in Jamaica. Supernova supporters have donated equipment to Alpha and helped release vinyl records in support of the school.

In another significant gesture, a Supernova patron donated a saxophone once owned by Jamaican ska pioneer Roland Alphonso. The instrument is to be auctioned, with proceeds supporting music training in Jamaica.

The Supernova Ska Festival has been recognised among the Top 10 Indie Festivals in the United States by the Grammy Foundation. Beyond entertainment, its organisers have placed strong emphasis on community development and supporting musicians.

Through the Supernova Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation, the festival supports scholarships and educational programmes in Hampton, Virginia, as well as initiatives at the Alpha School of Music in Jamaica.

From Historic Institution to Modern Music Hub

Led by the Sisters of Mercy since 1880, Alpha has transformed the lives of thousands of Jamaican young people through education, skills training and music.

Although the Alpha Boys School closed in 2014, its extraordinary musical legacy continues through the Alpha School of Music, located at South Camp Road in Kingston.

Following extensive renovations covering almost 20,000 square feet, the institution is now regarded as one of the most modern music schools in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Today, Alpha continues to focus on preparing young musicians for careers and helping them make the transition from school to the world of work.

For the students preparing to travel to Virginia, the Supernova experience offers an opportunity to see firsthand how the music created by Jamaican pioneers more than six decades ago continues to inspire audiences and musicians across the world.

And as they carry the Alpha name to the international stage for a fifth consecutive year, they will also be carrying forward a distinctly Jamaican musical inheritance, one built by generations of talented young musicians whose influence helped change the sound of popular music around the world.