Jamaica’s rich musical heritage, not only in the popular genres, but also in classical music, is nothing short of astounding. The classical music tradition dates back to the 18th century, with reports that the “first oratorio written in the Americas,” Jonah, was composed by Jamaica, Samuel Felsted sometime around 1773.
“When I arrived on this beautiful island in 1985, I immediately encountered some of Jamaica’s most outstanding personalities in music, outside of the popular music genres. Therefore, I was never under the common misconception that Jamaican music started with mento, developing into ska, rocksteady, and via reggae to dancehall,” Rosina Christina Moder, co-founder and executive director of Music Unites Jamaica Foundation (MUJF), told