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ABOUT
Meagan A. Sylvester – Music Sociologist. Author. Researcher. Journalist is a seasoned speaker boasting a catalogue of refereed talks at international education conferences, guest lecturing at universities, leading professional development workshops for educators across secondary and tertiary institutions, speaking at webinar and virtual conferences, and moderating/hosting at special education and cultural events.
- Consultant – Sociologist/Music Sociologist at Sociology Matters
- Former Board Member and Chair, Education and Research Committee at TUCO (Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation)
- Managing Editor of the CSA Journal, Caribbean Conjunctures
- Executive Council/Board Member, Newsletter Editor and Co-Chair – Digital Media Network, CSA 2022-2023 Conference Program Chair at Caribbean Studies Association
- Editorial Board Member at International Journal of Carnival Arts
- Co-Editor – Special Issue on Caribbean Music, Interviewing The Caribbean Journal, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica
Music Sociologist
Meagan Sylvester is a Music Sociologist with a consultancy practice through which she provides her clients with insight into the sociological framing of Caribbean and diasporic spaces using the lens of indigenous musics of the Caribbean as the main units of analysis. Her work delves into connections among Caribbean music, issues of identity, migration and cultural transformations as expressed in the festival culture between the Caribbean and other traditional and non-traditional Carnival festival locales.
Partnering with several organisations around the globe, her work encompasses academic conference presentations, hosting scholarly workshops, participating in international seminars and being a member of strategic teams responsible for sociological research and analysis across both western and non-western cultures including Europe, Latin America, South America, the United States and numerous islands in the Caribbean.
Author
Meagan Sylvester is a published author from the Caribbean twin island of Trinidad and Tobago. She has over twenty (20) book chapters and journals articles. She currently has two book projects on Carnival, Culture and Music on the way.
Researcher
She is a graduate of The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus and a Caribbean scholar whose doctoral research focused on Narratives of Resistance in Calypso and Ragga Soca music. Her continuing interrogation within the academy centers on Music, Gender, and National Identity in Calypso and Soca, Music of Diasporic Carnivals, Narratives of Resistance in Calypso and Ragga Soca music, Steelpan and kaisoJazz musical identities. Teaching and research interests are Caribbean Music Cultures and African Diaspora Popular Culture.
Journalist
- Frequent Radio talk show guest/host (2009 – present)
- Frequent TV talk show guest/host (2009 – present)
- Frequent Newspaper columnist (2009 – present)
- Caribbean Studies Association – Newsletter Editor/Journalist/Copy Editor (2014 – present)
Experienced journalist and editor for a multi-lingual online publication covering the Caribbean, Diasporic and International News. Managing and overseeing a team of ten (10) contributors, freelance writers and sub-editors. Researching and writing a range of stories, including academic and scholarly content, breaking news, investigations and analyses, aiming at all times for fairness and accuracy. Publishing monthly. Editing content and posting using a WordPress CMS system. Self-starter and a problem solver, a jack of all trades ready to pitch in on all aspects of editing, publishing and researching work.
Podcaster
She is new to the world of podcasting. Her podcast is entitled – Calypso – The New York Experience. This journey began in 2021 and in 2022 the first series was launched. Seven (7) individuals from the Calypso/Soca fraternity were interviewed. The interviewees were Calypsonians, background vocalists, musicians and music promoters. The second tranche of the podcast which was produced in 2023, focused on music producers, arrangers, Calypso tent managers and artiste managers.
Calypso Interview Series – Podcast
Part 1
Look out for the Calypso Interview Series entitled “Calypso – The New York Experience”.
This series was the brainchild of former TUCO President Lutalo Masimba and Meagan Sylvester TUCO’s Education and Research Officer. Having oversight for the Education and Research portfolio at TUCO, Meagan Sylvester has hosted and facilitated the seven (7) part interview series on Calypsonians, Songwriters, Background Singers and Cultural Workers all of whom are all involved in the Calypso fraternity in New York and environs. Although long in coming, it is here! Come listen to their Calypso Stories about their involvement in the Calypso art form while residing outside of Trinidad and Tobago. See the promo video below!
Part 2
It’s #CalypsoHistoryMonth 2023
Announcing the second tranche of my series #CalypsoTheNewYorkExperience. This 2023 version will highlight more contributors to the #Calypso artform who, in myriad ways, from their vantage point in New York were instrumental in taking Calypso and #Soca to the diaspora and the world. Look out for the stories of producers, arrangers, tent managers, singers, artiste managers and many others.
Radio & TV Interviews
Publications
2023
Meagan Sylvester – Music Sociologist.
“Calypso: The New York Experience.” YouTube Video Blog Series. 1.07 November 8th, 2023.
A series of seven videos on the history and practice of the Calypso artform in New York.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxfspoZWjeY&list=UULFTfdAUcu9D-DVoZzR4dLZrA&index=2
2022
Magazine Article
Sylvester, Meagan A. 2022. Dey Ent See Africa Yet. 60 Years Independence Interactive Magazine, 16-20.
https://www.flipsnack.com/mensmagazine/60-years.html
2021
Book Chapter
Sylvester, Meagan A. and Gregory Richardson. 2021. Carnival, Culture Resilience and COVID19 in the Dutch Caribbean and in Trinidad and Tobago In Masking as Quintessential Authenticity: Healing, Intersectionality and Interstices in the Languages, Literatures and Cultures of the Dutch Caribbean and Beyond. (eds.) Faraclas, N. R. Severing, E. Echteld, S. Delgado and W. Rutgers. Willemstad, Curaçao: University of Curaçao. 340pp.
Journal Co-Editor
Sylvester, Meagan and Opal Palmer Adisa. 2021. Interviewing the Caribbean – Caribbean Music. Interviewing the Caribbean. Volume 7. Issue 1. Mona, Jamaica: The University of the West Indies (UWI) Press.
https://www.bookfusion.com/books/1734975-interviewing-the-caribbean-volume-7-issue-1 –
» CLICK HERE for a full list of publications
TESTIMONIALS
Meagan is a true patriot! As a music sociologist, cultural enthusiast, skilled writer and educator, Meagan continues to do her part to promote our people, music and culture. Her passion and commitment shines through in all that she does. As an active member of the Powerful Ladies of T&T (PLOTT), Meagan supports our Events Committee and has worked on several events and goodwill projects with her fellow PLOTTers.
Gillian Wall
Having developed and honed her skills in both quantitative and qualitative research in Sociology, Meagan has become a leading light in the Musical Culture of Trinidad and Tobago, and the wider Caribbean, producing some of the most authoritative recent work in this area.
Kairi Henry
I’ve known Meagan Sylvester for more than two decades in the tertiary system and she has always been a driven and focused individual…Meagan also has a prominent media presence in the Caribbean, being a regular presenter on radio and television programming particularly in Trinidad & Tobago, and is an active member in several local & international professional organizations including the International Association of the Study for Popular Music, the Society for Ethnomusicology, the Caribbean Studies Association and the Association of Black Sociologists…I highly recommend Meagan as a person with the confidence, knowledge and expertise to continue to progress towards becoming a leader in her chosen field of study.
Jerome Foster
Sheldon Scipio
CONTACT
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