Members of the Tivoli Gardens Drum Corps are honing their talents on brand-new musical instruments which were procured through a $2-million grant from the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, and Education (CHASE) Fund.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CHASE Fund, W. Billy Heaven, officially handed over the pieces of equipment, which include drums and trumpets, during a recent ceremony held at the Tivoli Gardens Community Centre in Kingston.

The corps’ membership averages about 20 youth, aged 11 to 15, who are primarily from the West Kingston community.

Member of Parliament for the area, Desmond McKenzie, in his remarks at the presentation ceremony, said the investment from CHASE will nurture the talents of future generations of musicians.

“With this kind of investment in the community, it will resuscitate cultural programmes, it will offer new opportunities to the young men and women,” he said, noting that there will be other interventions to re-establish Tivoli as the premier marching band in Jamaica.

Heaven, in his remarks, informed that, to date, the Fund has provided financial support totalling $108.2 million for 43 music programmes and marching bands.

Of the total sum, $86.7 million, representing 80 per cent of the funds, has gone towards music programmes in schools, impacting 113 institutions.

“We have provided primarily instruments, equipment, uniforms and instructors. It goes to show the emphasis that we are placing on our school programme because that is where we believe it matters,” Heaven said.

Expressing gratitude for the donation, Secretary of the Tivoli Gardens Drum Corps, Norman Robinson, said, “We are thankful… because what can be achieved by this gift cannot be measured – the lives that we change – it can transform the community [for the] better.”

Formed in 1970, the Tivoli Gardens Drum Corps has an illustrious musical history, winning numerous national competitions over the years and participating in several international events.