MUSICIAN and eventologist John Arnold has had decades of success as an event planner and musician. Growing up in Tobago, Arnold had the rare opportunity to be front and center of the island’s cultural traditions and witnessed the genesis of some of the island’s most famous events such as the Tobago Jazz Festival and other festivals for which the island is known. known.
His book, titled A Tobago Son: A Memoir by Musician and Eventologist John Arnold, which was released in November, details not only his life as a musician and eventologist, but also serves as a lesson in history, culture and the arts and that as the musician has come full circle as a true Tobago boy.
The book takes a deeply personal look at the experiences and influences that shaped Arnold’s life, dating back to his childhood in Bethel, and highlights his life and passion for culture and the arts.
Speaking at the launch, Arthur Lok Jack lecturer Dr Colin McDonald described the book as “a wonderful piece that combines history, sociology, culture, anthropology and practical lessons on innovation”.
Arnold, 64, who is CEO of the Tobago Festivals Commission and chairman of MusicTT, in a recent interview with Express, said the book took on a life of its own, as he had not intended it to be a memoir.
The former high school teacher, who found his calling in event management, said: “I never thought about this kind of memories. I was thinking about how to document life as an event planner from my years of event planning. It was supposed to be a textbook for students entering the industry because I used to lecture in event management at the Arthur Lok Jack Business School. I thought my students would be able to relate to some of the experiences,” he said.
Arnold said journalist and author Lisa Allen-Agostini convinced him to delve further into his life, which was the springboard for the book to become a memoir. The book was written in collaboration with Allen-Agostini. “When I met Lisa, my ghostwriter, we had various interviews and she realized that what I had was much more vivid and would be more suitable as a memoir. So now, you have everything in the book, including my childhood, my upbringing, my career, lessons learned, and me with prostate cancer,” Arnold said.
Pursuing PhD
After Arnold left teaching, he never looked back. “I taught Principles of Business and Principles of Accounts, and then sometime after 2003, I saw this event management course from George Washington University offered by Arthur Lok Jack, and I decided to switch careers and went to work at tourism. . I resigned from teaching and never looked back. “My mom was scared because it was a three-year contract and I wasn’t scared because I was already doing so many events,” Arnold said.
Arnold said he enjoyed the process of bringing the book to life as it allowed him to delve into past memories and shed light on important cultural facts that have never been highlighted. “Personally, for me, I’m glad that at least I was able to document something that would be there long after I was gone. There are some history lessons in the book.”
He added, “I talked about things that have never been documented before, like my experience with Ring Bang and how the Tobago Jazz Festival started, which was one of the highlights for me because I was able to see the beginning of something that turned into a big festival and being a part of it was huge for me. Also, how the Signal Hill Alumni Choir started and major events like the Blue Food Festival, to see how it developed from a small village thing to a major tourist event,” Arnold said.
Arnold, who is currently pursuing a PhD in cultural studies at UWI, St Augustine, said he intends to dedicate this phase of his life to writing songs and consulting for events he enjoys. “This is definitely rewarding for me. Now I’m in the middle of finishing my PhD, so I want to focus more on writing and also composition. So I want to work a lot more with choirs in the region and workshops. I also want to go into event consulting. In fact, I think it’s important to leave some of these great legacies that would live on and for the development of the island and our culture,” Arnold said.
National award
Arnold said event coordination has come a long way in this country. “I was the first event coordinator hired at the Tobago House of Assembly. Now, you will see many event coordinators. There has been a massive increase in best practices because people understand their role and in general, I think there is a greater appreciation for event management in this country. I really hope people are motivated and learn from my experiences,” Arnold said.
About John Arnold
Musician, educator, “eventologist” and man of culture John Arnold holds a Gold Hummingbird Medal as one of Tobago’s most high profile boys. He defined a generation as a teacher at Signal Hill High School and through his children’s television talent show. As music director of the champion Signal Hill Alumni Choir, he set a new standard for Caribbean choral performance. He has been an insider at Tobago’s biggest music and cultural festivals, from the political disaster of Ring Bang to the triumphs of Blue Food and Tobago Jazz.
About a boy from Tobago:
A memoir of musician and eventologist John Arnold
This quick and vivid memoir describes John Arnold’s personal foundation and the development of his career in music and events. Leading with an intimate look at his childhood and youth, John then details with unsparing openness his decades as a teacher, choir director and festival and event planner. Here he also reveals his battle with prostate cancer.
The intimate and revealing memoir is narrated by John Arnold himself, as told to Trinidadian journalist and Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist Lisa Allen-Agostini.
The book is available on Amazon, in hard copy and paperback.
