THE University of Technology (UTech) will honour the Jamaican music industry with its Chancellor’s Medal, at a gala event scheduled for the Courtleigh Auditorium, New Kingston, this evening.

Former Jamaica Prime Minister and current Chancellor of the institution, Edward Seaga, will present the medal to a representative of the music industry. The medal will be stored at the Jamaica Music Museum at the Institute of Jamaica in downtown Kingston.

The award is being made to the Jamaican music industry “in recognition of the global impact of Jamaican popular music, particularly over the past 50 years”.

The UTech Chancellor’s Medal is equal in status to an honorary doctorate from the university, and is awarded by the Chancellor to recognise contributions which are of national or international significance.

The red carpet gala event includes cocktails and an exhibition highlighting 50 years of Jamaican music, followed by a ceremony featuring a citation on Jamaican music and the industry.

This ceremony will incorporate the creative forms of music, speech, dance and drama in a specially produced segment, with musician Desi Jones as musical director and Junior Lincoln as producer.

The segment will highlight the different genres of Jamaican popular music since the country gained independence from Britain in 1962.

There will also be a concert with a band comprising veteran musicians, featuring contemporary artistes like Tarrus Riley, Singing Melody, Mr Vegas and Mijan.

Previous winners of the UTech Chancellor’s Medal include athletics coach Stephen Francis and sprinter Asafa Powell.