André Williams, STAR Writer

Musician and final-year student at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts Lorenzo Hall, though not yet a graduate in his quest for attaining a bachelor's degree in Music Education, has already begun using his craft as a means to inspire others.

The music major who plays the violin, cello, flute, alto, tenor, soprano saxophone, the clarinet, drums and other instruments, has engaged two communities - Maxfield Avenue and Blunt Street in St Andrew - with music lessons and workshops for children and adults.

Hall told THE STAR, "We use music as a psychological tool to motivate and engage these groups."

The 25-year-old also says there have been clear signs that this mechanism works.

"Working with the unattached youths to motivate and inspire them, we have gotten report from schools and parents who say they have noticed behavioural differences, which is good," said Hall.

Aspiring author

Hall, also an aspiring author, says he is currently writing two books.

"I am writing the books, How to learn to play by ear, and Folk arrangement with piano and melody ... I also write and conduct musical development programmes for churches, schools and communities."

Hall told THE STAR that in the near future he plans to register his own company, Music Hall with the tagline, "Where it's Hall about music."

Hall, a former Camperdown High student, said he got his humble beginnings, playing instruments in church.

"The young people had to prepare an item. the base guitar was there, and brother Goldburn taught us a few chords and notes on the instruments," recalled Hall

He told THE STAR that it was then he began playing the guitar and his admiration bore fruit from there on.

Even throughout high school, he was very much involved in music and instruments.

He said: "I became president of the school choir, school band and director and coordinator of the steel band at Camperdown."

Having returned from the just-concluded International Panorama Competition in Trinidad, the first of its kind, Hall says the experience was an awesome one.

"I travelled with UWI Panoridim Steel Orchestra, where I went to represent Jamaica ... the event featured many countries ... Trinidad came out the victors."

Meanwhile, from time to time, Hall can be heard in action at major hotels along the north and south coasts, where he normally plies his trade utilising various musical instruments.