IT is an ambitious plan to obtain a higher education through music.

Josh-Michael Rose belted high notes and captivated an audience at the 2022 edition of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) Tree-lighting Ceremony held at St William Grant Park, downtown Kingston.

The music prodigy has since realised that this may be the avenue to fund his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, thereby easing the burden from his mother.

“In terms of my relationship with music, I’ve loved it from a very young age. I love the fact that it was a means of expression, and I’ve always wanted to be a performer — someone that could wow an audience with talent. I could sing and was involved in music clubs from primary school until I went to Calabar High School. When I started grade eight I was very good at the recorder, and the then music teacher Mr Wilson suggested that I take on the clarinet because he thought I would catch on fast — and it became my instrument after that,” the 19-year-old told the Jamaica Observer.

“It occurred to me in the latter part of high school that this could be a source of income. I was always told by persons around me that I should let my talent work for me, financially, but I always used to laugh it off. After thinking to myself, and taking into account the fact that I am starting college soon and my parents won’t be able to do it on their own financially, I started looking into it deeply and considered the possibility of it being a source of income,” he added.

Rose was accepted by The University of the West Indies (UWI) to the Faculty of Science and Technology, to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. Unfortunately, he had to defer the offer until next year due to financial challenges.

Though you rarely see him without his clarinet, the humble youngster, who had his debut performance with the instrument at age 15, said it took him one summer to get a “basic handle”.

He added that he hasn’t mastered the instrument “quite yet, because there is still a lot to learn. However, I have come a very far way in my practices and I am determined to know all there is to know about the clarinet, and even other wind-based instruments”.

On Sunday, July 2 he performed at St Andrew High School’s farewell ceremony, further marketing his prowess while he counts down to the degree. And yes, he had the clarinet.

“Taking this new step as a musician was done with this in mind to let it be an assistance to my tertiary education. Each experience was exciting, as I got another opportunity to express myself and showcase my musical talents. After every performance I go home and think back on what else can be improved, and make sure that the next performance is better than the last,” he said.

Rose was active throughout high school since the inception. Young and impressionable, he first performed at Calabar at his grade seven orientation.

The dean of discipline, Canute Fagan, had “recognised my singing talent from summer school of 2016 and asked me to sing at the orientation”.

“It was a very heart-warming experience for me, making such an entrance to an outstanding high school. Ever since, I have been a part of the music club and performed for the school at prize givings, graduations, honour roll ceremonies, teachers’ prize givings, among other events. And if a Calabar old boy died, unfortunately, I would be a part of the school’s tribute at the funeral,” Rose told the Sunday Observer.

“I have participated in numerous events throughout my high school life. I have mostly represented my school on numerous occasions, like the Institute of Jamaica Lunch Hour Concert, Jamaica Best School Band Competition, and at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), but we didn’t make it past auditions due to COVID-19,” Rose continued.

Back in June he also performed at Merl Grove’s sixth-form graduation ceremony. That opportunity, he said, came by way of a member of the school’s sixth form body.

“During my grade 13 year at Calabar I was involved in a lot of clubs that allowed me to develop a lot of inter-school relationships. A friend of mine at Merl Grove, Candice, reached out and said she wanted me to perform at her graduation, and I was so grateful for the opportunity,” Rose recalled.

When asked about traces of music in his family, Rose shared, “My father, who passed away in 2014, could sing very well, and I was also told that there are members of my father’s family who are musicians.”