The Rebel Salute group in a presentation of the Backstage to the Future: Caribbean event

The British Council will be delivering for the first time in Jamaica, our international live-music skills training programme for young people - Backstage to the Future: Caribbean - in partnership with the Rebel Salute Festival. The British Council will support ten (10) young trainees from Colombia, Cuba, Jamaica and Venezuela, offering them the opportunity to enhance their skills, and knowledge in stage management, lighting and sound, through on-site teaching of technical skills and hands-on shadowing, at Rebel Salute’s annual live music event on January 12-13, 2018.

Trainees

Dallasis Pena Padilla

Dallasis Pena Padilla

Cuba

She is currently a sound engineer at Areito studio, part of EGREM, a Cuban recording company and record label. It has been awarded with the 2014 Cubadisco award in the music archive category (restoration and remastering) and nominated in other categories. In 2016, she received the same prize in the category of Popular Dance Music for New Talents. She is also a talented guitarist and teacher. 

Najay Pearce

Najay Pearce

Jamaica

Najay is a 19-year old music student at the Alpha Institute. Currently, in his last year of studies, Najay has a music background which includes 3 years of practical training in bass guitar, 3 years of music theory, and a year and a half of music technology training. Najay is also an aspiring vocalist. 

Yuareys Arteaga

Yuareys Arteaga

Venezuela

Yuareys is an artist and audio engineer from Caracas. She has been making music since 2008 when she graduated from “Taller de Arte Sonoro”. She used to be part of the “BeatchesS” music group, but now she is dedicated to her solo project. She released her first EP as a solo artist in 2016 and is currently working as a sound engineer for the “Lifetime” TV channel, while still releasing new music.

Patrick Garrel

Patrick Garrel

Jamaica

Patrick is a 19-year-old, 2nd-year student at the Alpha Institute. His music background includes one-year training in guitar and one year of music theory. He is a regular and critical performer in the Alpha Institute band and was recently accepted into the audio technology program at Alpha. 

Khadeem James

Khadeem James

Jamaica

Khadeem is an 18-year-old, 2nd-year student at the Alpha Institute. Khadeem’s music background includes one-year training in bass guitar and one year of music theory. He performs in the Alpha Institute band and was recently accepted into the audio technology program at Alpha.

Fermin Whitacker

Fermin Whitacker

Colombia

Fermin hails from San Andrés and is a music producer, audio-visual producer and musician. He works with a regional TV channel as the director of a music magazine and has extensive experience in stage performances in many different countries.

Nitchman Robinson - Trainer Colombia

Nitchman Robinson

Colombia

This Providencia native has taken part in several music production workshops, as well as in the mixing and mastering of digital audio, live sound and lighting. He worked as the music producer and sound engineer at the Midnight Dream Theatre. Currently, he is an independent music producer, and he would like to increase his skills in live sound engineering and music production. 

Maroxy Robinson - Trainer Colombia

Maroxy Robinson

Colombia

Hailing from Providencia, Maroxy worked in Midnight Dream Theatre as the administrative director. She is experienced in cultural management, events coordination, contracting and staff coordination. She would like to improve her skills in stage management.

Ana Luisa Sánchez

Ana Luisa Sánchez

Creative Content Producer

Cuba

Specializes in creative content production for different platforms and areas. During her 3 years of study at the International Film School of San Antonio de los Baños, she was trained in technical and creative film processes. This also includes the design of international events related to the film industry and outreach. She was the producer of the Ícaro Festival of Havana, which is one of the headquarters of the Central American Film Festival in Guatemala.    

Dr. Marsha Pearce. Educator & Curator, University of West Indies

Dr. Marsha Pearce

Educator & Curator, University of West Indies

Marsha Pearce is a Cultural Studies scholar, writer, lecturer and curator based in the Caribbean. She is a Visual Arts lecturer at the Dept. of Creative and Festival Arts, The University of the West Indies (UWI) and has also served on the board of the National Museum and Art Gallery of Trinidad and Tobago. Her research and critical writings have been published in several academic journals, books, catalogues and newspapers. She holds a B.A. in Visual Arts and a PhD in Cultural Studies from UWI.