Alpha School of Music takes Jamaica’s ska legacy back to Supernova Festival

Students and staff from Kingston’s historic Alpha School of Music will travel to Hampton, Virginia, in September for the Supernova International Ska Festival, marking the institution’s fifth consecutive year participating in one of the largest U.S. events dedicated exclusively to ska music.

The festival, scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13, will give Alpha students an opportunity to connect with the international ska community while learning about the music industry beyond the classroom.

For Alpha, whose former students include some of the pioneers who helped shape ska in Jamaica during the 1960s, the annual trip has become an extension of its music education program.

“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 this year is being supported by Supernova patrons, S Hotels Jamaica, Budget Car Rentals Jamaica and clothing brand Jamaica Nice.

The relationship between Alpha and ska stretches back to the genre’s beginnings in Jamaica in the early 1960s, when young musicians, including students from the then-Alpha Boys School, helped develop the new sound by combining jazz influences with Afro-Jamaican musical traditions.

Over the decades, Alpha produced several celebrated Jamaican musicians who became influential figures in ska, rocksteady, reggae and jazz.

Among its former 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, is also among the artistes scheduled to perform at this year’s Supernova Festival, taking the stage on Sept. 13.

The two-day event is expected to feature approximately 30 bands representing different eras and interpretations of ska from around the world.

Since its launch in 2014, Supernova has brought together veteran Jamaican performers and international ska acts. Jamaican foundation artistes Derrick Morgan and Stranger Cole have previously appeared alongside acts 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 important part of the annual event.

“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.”

During their time at the festival, Alpha students will also gain firsthand exposure to the business and organizational sides of the music industry, including event production, promotion and logistics.

They will also have opportunities to network with musicians, festival patrons and other industry professionals. The weekend will include a charity event headlined by New York ska band The Slackers.

The relationship between Supernova and Alpha has also resulted in support for music education in Jamaica. Supernova supporters have donated equipment to the school and helped release vinyl records to raise funds for the institution.

A Supernova patron also donated a saxophone once owned by Jamaican ska pioneer Roland Alphonso. The instrument is expected to be auctioned, with proceeds going toward music training in Jamaica.

Through the Supernova Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the festival supports scholarships and educational programs in Hampton as well as initiatives at the Alpha School of Music.

Alpha’s history dates back to 1880, when the Sisters of Mercy began operating the institution. Over the decades, it became particularly renowned for its music program and its role in developing generations of Jamaican musicians.

Although the Alpha Boys School closed in 2014, its musical tradition continues through the Alpha School of Music on South Camp Road in Kingston.

Following extensive renovations covering nearly 20,000 square feet, the institution now provides music education and career preparation aimed at helping young musicians transition from school into the professional music industry.

For the students heading to Virginia, Supernova will provide a firsthand look at how the music pioneered by Jamaicans more than six decades ago continues to resonate with musicians and audiences around the world.