Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange has commended the Bob Marley Foundation and the Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation on having the vision to establish the Marley Music Room in Parade Garden, Kingston.
“I applaud you on this initiative – the Marley Music Room, which will help to prepare the next generation of musicians. My hope is that it will give rise to an ever-expanding group of highly competent music notation specialists,” the Minister said in a message read by Marisa Benain, Director of Cultural Policy and Monitoring in the Ministry, at the official opening of the Marley Music Room on Wednesday, September 14, 2016.
Minister Grange highlighted that the music industry has “moved several people from poverty to prosperity” and that the Music Room will help to hone the talent of many young and aspiring musicians within the community who will contribute to the preservation of the country’s musical culture.
“Our musicians must develop a greater appreciation for our music and hopefully see that as practitioners they will have a role in maintaining the musical part of our culture. These emerging music notations must understand the importance of their role in documenting and preserving Jamaica’s musical culture, so as enable the Government to maximize the earnings from the music industry,” the Minister said.
The Marley Music Room is located at the S.T.E.M. Centre in Parade Garden, Kingston and will incorporate the music program at the Alpha Institute which targets at risk youth from various communities within the area.
