TU TU TU TU ... Rosina Christina Moder receives OD
PARENTS ACROSS Jamaica will be familiar with the required recorder text book, Caribbean Beginner’s Workbook for Soprano or Tenor Recorder.
Author of the music work and practise book, which had many prepand primary-school children tooting scales for homework, Rosina Christina Moder, today receive the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer, under the National Honours and Awards Act.
Moder is honoured for her contribution to the development of music in jamaica and the preservation of its history.
“I would just like to say to the prime minister and the governor general, I humbly accept. I never ever thought it would be me. I have not ever anticipated such an honour – as a person who was not born on Jamaican soil,” Moder told The Gleaner. “I’ve never regretted choosing Jamaica as the place to make my home. I’ve worked here for 32 years. Both my children are Austrian-Jamaican and both came back to live here,” she divulged.
CAREER-AFFIRMING ACCOLADE
This makes the second careeraffirming accolade Moder has received in her life. In 2001, she was nominated by a famous Austrian musician, Prof Nikolaus Harnoncourt, a man she calls her most important teacher and mentor, to be recipient of the first prize issued in his name – The Nikolaus Harnoncourt Prize – awarded by the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland.
She won and accepted the award in March 2001, at the Opera House in Zurich, for her ‘input into the development of music in Jamaica and the Caribbean’.
“I haven’t got so excited! Maybe on engagement day or
“I haven’t got so excited! Maybe on engagement day or my wedding day! I’m very honoured that I was worth it. I feel like when I received the Nikolaus Harnoncourt Prize I would just like to say to the prime minister and the governor general, I humbly accept. I never ever thought it would be me. I have not ever anticipated such an honour – as a person who was not born on Jamaican soil
my wedding day! I’m very honoured that I was worth it. I feel like when I received the Nikolaus Harnoncourt Prize. I’ll never have to win anything again in my life,” she said.
In celebration of her national honour, Moder is organising four church organ workshops, and three free concerts in October and November.
Church organists across Jamaica will have the chance to participate in the very first Samuel Felsted Organ Workshops 2017, presented by German organist and music educator Gabriele Schenkel.
Samuel Felsted (1743-1802) is the first documented Jamaican composer, who is internationally known for composing the very first oratorio – Jonah – in the Americas. Samuel Felsted has a published collection of Six Voluntarys for Organ or Harpsichord, which will be offered online for sale to the workshop participants and general public.
Accomplished German organist Schenkel will offer professional classes on organ techniques and organ repertoire to all level of players.
The scheduled dates and locations for the Samuel Felsted Organ Workshops 2017 are Saturday, October 21, Kingston Parish Church, Parade; Saturday, October 28, Christ Church, Vineyard Town; Saturday, November 4, St Andrew Parish Church, Half-Way Tree; and Saturday, November 11, Spanish Town Cathedral in St Catherine. The time frame for each workshop is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This collaboration is being organised by the NGO, Music Unites Jamaica Foundation, and the German Embassy of Kingston.