Music of the "Mang"

About the Book

This book of Aldwin Albino’s life story demonstrates that the pursuit of musical knowledge on both a practical and theoretical level plays an important role in self-development.

Albino would go on to successfully intertwine both music and teaching for his students’ benefit.

His visionary stance enabled lower class students to excel academically and to accept themselves, while helping upper class members of society to envision the prominent role that Trinidad could later play on the world stage because of the very steel drum that they initially dismissed as vulgar.

He has released three recordings of calypso music played classically. Reaction to these projects ranged from utter consternation to unabashed approval. Aldwin was again “teaching” through music.

Albino has been a sought after musician, arranger, teacher, and musical director for radio, television shows both in his native Trinidad and North America. Many accolades have been bestowed upon him including the Martin Luther King award for his contribution to the arts in Canada, and the Trinidad and Tobago award for the arts in New York, U.S.A. Throughout it all he has guided and shaped young minds in the schools of Trinidad and Montreal by skillfully bringing music into his academic programs. Proof of the effectiveness of his approach is evident in the fact that many prominent scholars and performers acknowledge his influence.

Aldwin Albino has succeeded in absorbing the “music of the mang” only to refine and shape it for the betterment of mankind-the mark of a true artist indeed.

About the Author

Aldwin Albino is the eldest sibling in the very musical Albino family of Success Village, Laventille. His unique interpretation of calypso melodies in classical mode presented in two C.D.’s Calypso in Classics 1 and 11 made for an impressive re-connection with the land of his birth.

Alongside his early music education courtesy of his mentors Frankie Francis, and Dawlet Ahye, Aldwin became a schoolteacher, following the completion of his secondary education at St. Mary’s College.

Music figured prominently throughout his teaching career in Trinidad. Among his proud achievements was establishing a steel band at Calvary R.C. School and co-composing a mass that the band performed at Rosary Church in Port of Spain, a pioneering initiative.

He was accompanist on the “Scouting for Talent” and “Riki Tiki” TV shows before he eventually became the first music director at T.T.T.

Aldwin migrated in 1969 to Canada, where music continued to commingle with his teaching duties. While completing his Bachelor of Education degree at Mc Gill, the media faculty of the university commissioned him to compose and record music for a promotional documentary. Took up his first teaching assignment at Laurendeau- Dunton elementary school, where the drum majorette band he launched and directed secured first place in Montreal’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade for ten consecutive years. Albino found time to publish a magazine, produce a local news program, the LaSalle Senior, and LaSalle Secondary concert bands. Aldwin was the recipient of the Martin Luther King Award in Canada and was honoured at the Trinidad and Tobago Independence celebration in New York for his contribution to the arts.