Ernel Edmond and Kardelle President, 2010 graduates of St. Croix Central High School, are bound for Boston in January to attend Berklee College of Music.
Stanford Joines, band director and fine arts chair at Central, heaped praised on the young men.
“Occasionally, I have the privilege of stumbling onto music students who are the real deal – kids with world-class talent,” Joines says. “This is such a case.”
“Ernel is the most promising trumpet student I have ever had,” Joines says. “Kardelle, in addition to being an amazingly skilled drummer, is a rare talent on jazz piano as well. They are rare talents, and I feel strongly that Berklee is where they should go.”
Edmond and President still play with Joines in the Central High Jazz Ensemble and other gigs.
Edmond, son of Lisa and Francis Abraham, said he will study performance, composure and writing. He recently wrote a song for his mom. He called it, “Mama Empress.”
Edmond started playing at six and taught himself how to play all brass instruments. He favors playing jazz and rhythm and blues on the trumpet.
President says he was born into the musical family of Suzanne and Sylvester President.
“My dad prayed to God for me to be a drummer,” President says. “ I had no other choice but to be into music. I love it as a drummer, when I get that pocket and people move.” He also plays bass and saxophone. He already has a home-based production company called Presidential Productions.
A Berklee recruiter showed interest in the boys at a school job fair and they auditioned, going head to head with thousands of other applicants from 40 audition sites around the world, Joines says. Edmond and President made the cut.
Joines says Berklee offers contacts, which are essential to making it in a very competitive field. Being fluent in the latest technology in sound engineering and recording, being known by other musicians, producers, and agents around the world, and having their e-mail addresses and cell numbers while they have yours – are essential to success in this industry today, Joines added.
Edmond received a scholarship in August for $7,000 from Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights. Both young men also received some Federal student aid. They say Berklee is expensive and they don’t offer scholarships for freshmen.
The St. Croix Foundation has established a fiduciary account; the St. Croix Central High School Music Scholarship Fund. People can check out the pair’s talent and give to their scholarships at the Central High School Holiday Fine Arts Showcase from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at the St. Croix Reformed Church. The evening will feature performances by other musicians, singers, dancers, and displays by visual art students. Villa Morales is catering and admission is $15, which includes food; admission only is $5, and children younger than school age are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased at the school, from a student, or at the venue.
Neither has a clue where they will be bound after completng the program at Berklee. For now they are bound for the frozen north, flying out of St. Croix together around Jan. 10 to the Boston school, where they wil be roommates.
Edmond says he can’t wait to go to college and President says it takes his breath away thinking about going.
