OECS Competitive Business Unit Launches OECS Music Talk in Dominica

Roseau, Dominica – The OECS Competitive Business Unit launches the first phase of its Music Mentorship and Artistes Development Programme in Dominica with the first OECS Music Talk today Friday 26th April, at the UWI Open Campus (Dominica).

Music Talk is a programme targeting emerging musical talents in the OECS, connecting musicians 30 years and under with established and experienced professionals in a series of discussions across OECS Member States.

Each Music Talk programme will highlight the contribution and celebrate the achievements of some of the region’s leading musicians who will serve as mentors to the young musicians. The programme is aimed primarily at providing young musicians with the opportunity to learn from these experienced and seasoned music professionals, create an avenue to discuss critical issues facing the music industry, help to build a platform for mentorship and coaching of emerging musical talents and to identify and build a cadre of young musicians for the work of the CBU in the music sub-sector.

OECS Music Talk is the first of a three phased Mentorship and Artiste Development programme being undertaken by the CBU in an effort to help inspire a new generation of musicians to realise their dreams to become music professionals.  The programme hopes to stimulate emerging musicians to pursue careers in the music business and to find pathways to success through mentorship and artistic development. Phase two of the programme will focus on a more structured mentorship programme with mentees in each member states being offered with critical advice, guidelines to building their music careers and new knowledge to encourage them to develop proper habits and professional approaches to becoming successful musicians.  The third phase will involve a coaching programme for a select group of mentees drawn from across Member States where they would receive coaching and artistic training from skilled music professionals. The third phase will attempt to develop the necessary skills in these emerging musical talents to prepare them for the regional and global music markets.

The Music Talk programme in Dominica will feature  prominent local music icons in the persons of Gordon Henderson of Exile One fame; Cadence-lypso queen, Ophelia Marie; award winning singer, Michele Henderson; founder and prolific music producer Cornell Phillip of WCK fame; and producer of the 2019 hit soca/bouyon track, Famalay, Krishna “Dada” Lawrence. Musicologist and author Gregory Rabess will present on the “History and Evolution of Dominica’s Music” while entertainer and event planner, Val Cuffy will serve as Master of Ceremony.

The event in Dominica is organized by the OECS CBU in partnership with the UWI Open Campus (Dominica), DBS Radio and the Discover Dominica Authority.  

The CBU hopes to organize other Music Talk programmes with key strategic partners in all OECS Member States. These discussions will run from May until September 2019, and will also involve thematic issues like digital marketing, artiste management, music production and stage presentation.    

OECS Music Talk is part of the CBU overall programme to enhance the competitiveness of the creative industries sector and to provide support to MSMEs in the sector to increase their exports of creative goods and services to global markets.

This story aligns with OECS Strategic Objective No.3: Promote and support equity and social inclusion; and leverage the cultural and linguistic diversity of the OECS.