Dannareo Fearon, CEO of DF Entertainment Limited in Clarendon, says the entity’s newly started Excellence Music Programme is geared towards fostering creativity.

“At DF Entertainment, we are a group of people who understand the correlation between music and production and how it affects our day to day life. That being said, music is a powerful life-changing agent, and as such we saw it fit to not only give to our clients top-tier service in production and live entertainment, but also to give them knowledge and skills through teaching and learning which, in return, with be a life-changing agent for them,” Fearon told the Jamaica Observer.

Unit one of the programme started on February 18 and will run through April 15. The syllabi includes an introduction to music, the music staff, keyboards, note identification, clefs, rhythm and meters, note values, dynamics, pitch, aural, major and minor scales, formation of harmonies, and much more.

Lessons primarily take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with exceptions being made in extreme circumstances.

Meanwhile, Fearon — who is also a trained musician, producer, and teacher — explained that a mixed mode of delivery has been adopted for the lessons, with different experts on board for each topic.

“These topics give the student [a] deep dive into the essentials that make a proficient and well-rounded musician, one who reads and also plays well by ear. We take a hybrid approach with our lessons to meet persons where they’re at, so the programme is both online and in-person, adjusted or tailored meet the needs of the student,” he said.

Fearon told the Observer that the classes have number of teacher-facilitators based on expertise in piano, drums, guitar, saxophone, vocals, as well as other classroom instruments.

He further explained that there is an assessment process that will determine whether registrants pass.

“Well, the music programme essentially is broken down into units (fundamentals of music, unit one to six) and at the end of each unit they are various practicals, quizzes… of all topics and lessons learned. After successfully passing those tests, each student is awarded with a certificate of completion of that specific unit. These tests are set with the sole aim of seeing how each student is grasping the material as well as how they’re applying that knowledge to their actually practical playing or singing,” he said.

Interested applicants may apply through the company’s website or through a designated Google Form with a special discount being offered until the end of March.