77.9 F
Cruz Bay
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesV.I. Music Legends Reach Out to Young Musicians

V.I. Music Legends Reach Out to Young Musicians

Scholarship recipients Ernel Edmond and Wayne Hawley (from left) talk with Stanley Jacobs about V.I. music.Stanley Jacobs, band leader of Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights, says V.I. youngsters are never far from their thoughts. “We always think of students and how to help them,” Jacobs said Wednesday at a media conference at WTJX- Channel 12 Studio in Estate Richmond for the presentation of the band’s annual scholarships.
The love goes beyond giving music to the children. The band also gives scholarships to talented local young musicians so they can study music.
Ernel Edmond was awarded a $7,000 scholarship, and Wayne Hawley Jr. received $3,000. Both young men will be off to Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Mass. for the spring semester in 2011.
They both graduated form St. Croix Central High School and were music students of Band Director Stan Joines. Edmond plays trumpet and will study performance and composition, while Hawley, who plays piano, will study composition.
Chermaine Johnson, principal at Central, praised the pair, saying they were very deserving of the scholarships. “They are brilliant and extremely talented young men always willing to share their abilities with others,” Johnson said.
Larry Larsen, band member and education official, said their goal is to support young people in the art form of music.
He said there were a number of applicants, and it was difficult choosing the winners. They had a bit more this year in donations so they decided to give two scholarships. Professional Holding Co., an Economic Development Commission company, were also contributors to the scholarship fund.
“We focus on children and support the arts programs,” Rob Wunschel, vice president said.
Past scholarship winners were also on hand for the presentation.
Sacha Alexander, the 2009 recipient, is studying music education at Howard University. She says she is planning on coming back to St. Croix in order to open a children’s performing arts center. Osvaldo Rivera, the 2008 recipient, is studying music education at the University of Maryland Eastern Shores. He says he would like to teach music at the university level.
Jacobs, band leader of the renowned Virgin Islands Quelbe band, said he is very proud of the young musicians. Jacobs has a dream of quelbe music actually becoming a required course in all V.I. public schools. The band has led instruction on quelbe music in the public schools.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the band, and numerous events are scheduled with contributions from the events funding scholarships. The annual Old Years Night dance at Villa Morales is one of the annual fund-raising events.
Local V.I. graduating seniors, pursuing a college degree in the arts, are eligible to apply to the Ten Sleepless Knights, Inc. for consideration of the annual scholarships.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.