Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer 
Lenya Wilks of Charlemont High School performs 'If I Aint Got You' at the JCDC Festival 2005 national finals, held at the Little Theatre on June 28.
THOUGH THE
playing of instruments remains largely the province of boys and men, girls and women appear to be storming the borders and scaling the musical walls. This much was evident during the national finals of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) music competition.
The competition took place over four days at the Little Theatre on Tom Redcam Avenue, St. Andrew, and saw over 200 items featuring vocals and instruments in the categories of drumming, class instruments, vocal classical, vocal gospel, creative folk and several others.
Day two of the competition, Wednesday, June 29, featured performances in the categories classroom instruments, instrumental ensembles and drumming. It was then clear that more and more girls are taking up instruments, which may eventually mean more women will play instruments once the exchange of bobby socks for stockings occurs.
Several of the bands, especially the smaller ensembles (trios, quartets and quintets), featured only male players. However, in the larger groups a fair share of females was present. Females were in Herbert Morrison Technical High's orchestra and the ensemble from Pembroke Hall High School featured four girls two on saxophone, one on trumpet and another on keyboard.
Additionally Holy Childhood High, a girls' school, had a performance by their steel band, the sole all-female instrumental ensemble of the competition. Port Maria Primary came quite close, however, as their drumming ensemble featured only one boy. Vaz Preparatory also had an impressive representation of girls, with an almost equal number from either sex. However, in the main, groups with girls featured only one or two.
Marjorie Whylie points out that the dearth of female instrumentalists is related to the fact that it was once unacceptable for a woman to play an instrument, unless she was playing classical music. She further explained that this problem was complicated by the situation that musicians often play in clubs and, even worse, work at night, once unacceptable modes of female behaviour.
INSUFFICIENT ROLE MODELS
Whylie argues that many girls today may not be playing simply because they do not have sufficient female role models and so the thought of being a musician does not occur to them. She explained that the problem is also related to the lack of instruments in the classroom. She noted that only a few schools, such as Herbert Morrison in Montego Bay, St. James, are able to sustain large music programmes. She also pointed to the Ian Hyrd-led Ardenne Orchestra as another good programme.
However, Whylie suggested that the situation in schools may well be improving, as people who did music in high school move into positions in which they are able to pass on their enthusiasm and knowledge. For example, several former students of Herbert Morrison have moved on to Sam Sharpe Teachers College, also in St. James, taking their music experience with them, and this is likely to be transmitted in the classroom when they become teachers.
Avril Hines, music teacher at Port Maria Primary, says that the increase in females on their drumming team was never deliberate. "We normally start out with males, but males are not consistent," she said. Hines explained that the boys often miss practice, as football and cricket grab their attention. She notes, however, that generally girls might not be as interested as boys in playing instruments, because they think it is a boys' activity.
Interestingly Joy Erskin-Northover, who directs the music groups for Mel Nathan and Vaz preparatory schools, sees a mini battle of the sexes as the reason more girls are playing now. "I find the girls trying to be competitive with the boys," she says. She explains that in the groups she works with, girls volunteer to play in an attempt to show that they are just as good as the boys or even better.
Audley Searchwell of Pembroke Hall High believes that girls are not as prominent as they could be because their teachers do not push them hard enough. "They (the girls) are generally interested, but it is how you lead," he said. Searchwell explains that he seeks out students for the school's ensemble from how they play the recorder. "I find that the girls, when you get them involved, you can really depend on them," he said, echoing Hines' comment.
NOT MOTIVATED
Santana Sykes, one of Pembroke Hall's musicians, agrees with her teacher that more girls do not play because they are not motivated enough. Her teammate, 13-year-old Chantel, believes that some girls may feel that only boys play instruments.
Tashay, another of the girls in the ensemble, says that some girls may believe that the instruments are hard to play. "Maybe dem feel dat dem nah go fit in with di guys and dem a go pressure dem too much," says Chantel. She admits to feeling that pressure and worrying about it. Indeed, with the exception of Santana, they all agreed to feeling this pressure.
Despite that, none of them believe that boys have a more natural or stronger affinity for music. "Girls and boys are equal," says Chantel. "Same limit."
She is, apparently, not alone in this belief. Whether it is due to the young girls who want to show their worth or the increase in role models in the commercial world, more girls are picking up an instrument and blowing, tapping or tinkling out their existence, their talent and their determination.
