The 2018 CODO Music Festival for Persons with Disabilities took place in collaboration with The Academy for the Performing Arts (APA) at The University of Trinidad and Tobago on June 5th and 6th, UTT Campus at NAPA. Students from sixteen schools under the umbrella of the Consortium of Disabilities performed for their peers, families and friends and a variety of dignitaries who came to support. On day two of the event, UTT was delighted to host Her Excellency President Paula Mae-Weekes. Congratulations to our students, both the performers and the student teaching artists from UTT APA who coached them!

Running since 2011, this programme has been largely underwritten through generous grants from First Citizens Bank. Since its inception, FCB has given over TTD$1,000,000 to ensure that student teaching artists are paid for their time coaching the choirs and to ensure that students can afford to be transported to and from the National Academy for the Performing Arts. This year Massy Foundation also joined the list of sponsors, which ensured that student teaching artists had access to professional training from Board Certified Music Therapist Jean Raabe, at The Academy for the Performing Arts in January of this year. Students are supported and mentored through service learning courses run by Assistant Professor Caitlyn Kamminga and observed in situation through out the semester. 

After eight successful music festivals, The University of Trinidad and Tobago will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Consortium of Disabilities Organisation (CODO) later this month. In an effort to begin integrating some of the more talented vocalists into APA music programs, Assistant Professor Caitlyn Kamminga has spearheaded the invitation of selected students from the CODO schools to join the UTT APA Choir at APAFEST this week in a joint performance of Make Your Own Kind Of Music, written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and arranged by Assistant Professor at APA, Adam Walters. Information about APAFEST can be found at: u.tt/apa on The Academy for the Performing Arts website.