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The Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra (ABYSO) is thrilled to share that its concert master and head of strings, Alfranique Joseph, has been accepted into the OAcademy 2024 Cohort. Alfranique was selected from among many highly qualified candidates worldwide to join a community of emerging leaders. She is the first Antiguan and Barbudan to receive this honour.

The fellowship runs from 16th January to 30th June 2024 and combines an immersive digital curriculum with short in-person residency opportunities. The programme merges high-level performance training with leadership development and industry preparation, guided by world-class faculty and mentors.

As an OAcademy Fellow, Alfranique will work on core orchestral and solo repertoire, attend masterclasses with the world’s most prominent musicians, develop her performance mindset, and enhance her artistic branding. She will also have the opportunity to join an immersive week-long residency in either the United States of America or Mexico. These residencies will focus on different repertoire and allow fellows to perform together in different contexts, experiment, and grow professionally.

Speaking of the fellowship, Alfranique stated: “It is truly a humbling feeling to be accepted as a fellow and participant in such a prestigious programme. A big “THANK YOU” goes out to the ABYSO, its mentorship programme and its many partners, for providing the avenue where young musicians like myself can rub shoulders and learn from the greats in this field”.

ABYSO Chair, High Commissioner Karen-Mae Hill, extended congratulations to Alfranique on behalf of the Patrons and Board of Directors of the ABYSO.  She stated: “our vision is to transform lives through the incredible power of music. The ABYSO will continue to challenge our youth to think higher and to reach broadly, using their developing skills to benefit not just themselves but the wider Antiguan and Barbudan community. All good things are achievable through discipline, vision and an attitude humble enough to learn”.

Alfranique started her musical journey at the age of 8 in Antigua where she was introduced to the piano. Not long after she was gifted with her first violin and has been inseparable from the instrument to this day. She is a past student of the St. Andrew’s Primary and the Antigua Girls’ High School.    She holds a BA in Music with an emphasis on education from the University of the Southern Caribbean. She is currently a teacher at the St. Mary’s Secondary School where she teaches music and English.