Dr. Jason Sulliman, Associate Professor of Trombone in the John M. Long School of Music, will head back to Jamaica to offer his third brass pedagogy seminar for Jamaican music educators. The summer seminar is organized by Sam Sharpe Teachers College in Montego Bay and the Alpha Institute in Kingston with continued support from the Sisters of Mercy of Jamaica, The American Friends of Jamaica, S Hotel Montego Bay, and Jamaica Nice.

“During the 1980s, Jamaica lost many musicians and teachers to migration,” said Gay Magnus, Bandmaster at the Alpha School of Music. “Brass music has suffered the most. Since the Alpha School of Music is focused on ensemble performance, it is our wish that band music has a strong foundation across the country. The workshops led by Dr. Sulliman will provide music educators with specialized brass pedagogy, specifically for trumpet and trombone, which will help to strengthen the musical foundation in Jamaica and create a much-needed professional platform for the next generation of Jamaican musicians.”

Sulliman was contacted by Magnus at the Alpha Institute in 2022 when it started its summer brass workshops in the hopes that he would be willing to be one of their seminar teachers. It was an easy decision for him.

“There are bright, talented, passionate educators all over Jamaica, but they have less exposure to brass instruments in their training, so many are reluctant to teach young students from the beginning,” Sulliman said. “I am honored to work with such dedicated educators and share what I can.”

Sulliman taught for a week in Kingston while an identical seminar was held in Montego Bay. The following year, he was invited back for a combined seminar. This summer, music educators from all over Jamaica will come together in Montego Bay, and a final performance in Negril has been added to the events.

“I look forward to the continued collaborations between the Alpha Institute, Sam Sharpe Teachers College, Negril Chamber of Commerce, and many other charitable organizations supporting this important work,” Sulliman said. “It is my hope that we create a lasting bridge between Troy University and these organizations for years to come.”