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SOUTH FLORIDA – Dr. Dawn K. Batson, Ph.D., is a Trinidad and Tobago native and internationally respected leader in steelpan arts, multicultural education, and creative aging.
Dr. Batson is being honored at this year’s 29th Annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival for her impact on music education, cultural preservation, and the global steelpan movement.
For over four decades, she has advanced Caribbean musical traditions. She also established university steelband programs at the University of Miami and Florida Memorial University. As a result, she helped to elevate steelpan as a respected discipline.
As a Trinidad and Tobago–born educator and composer, Dr. Batson blends traditional steelpan roots with contemporary styles. Moreover, she empowers artists and communities as Executive Director of Keep Your Joy and Rise.
The Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival, founded by legendary jazz trumpeter Melton Mustafa Sr., is a major cultural event. It celebrates jazz, Caribbean influence, education, and legacy.
This year’s festival also honors the memory of Esaa Mustafa and Zakiyyah Mustafa, while spotlighting Dr. Batson’s extraordinary impact on youth development and cultural arts in South Florida and beyond.
Q&A with Dr. Dawn K. Batson, Ph.D. Honoree, 29th Annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival
Q: You are being honored at the 29th Annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival. What does this recognition mean to you?
A: I am deeply moved that the organizers of the 29th Annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival decided to honor me. Melton Mustafa was a truly inspirational musician and educator who taught generations about the art and history of jazz. The festival that bears his name brings together, and continues to bring together, top jazz artists not only to perform but also to share their knowledge. I am humbled and touched that my small part has been thought worthy of recognition.
Q: As a native of Trinidad and Tobago, how has your Caribbean heritage shaped your journey in music and education?
A: Trinidad and Tobago’s multicultural heritage has played an essential role in my musical and educational journey. The gift of being surrounded by and learning about many cultures opened my mind and heart. This foundation led me to feel free to explore and incorporate many musical forms into my own music, and it has centered my teaching on respect for all.
Q: You were instrumental in establishing steelband programs at the University of Miami and Florida Memorial University. Why was this work so important? How do you see steelpan influencing jazz and contemporary music today?
A: I believe that learning about one’s culture is an important starting point. To really achieve an understanding of the world beyond our doorstep, however, one must learn about that world. The steelband, said to be the only family of acoustic instruments created in the twentieth century, was and perhaps still is, part of the world beyond the doorstep of many. This is why I feel it is integral that the instruments, the history, and the playing techniques be part of the educational component of the musical world.
In jazz and contemporary music, the steelpan has long been part of the world through performers like Othello Mollineaux, Rudy Smith, Dave Samuels, Andy Narell, and others. Today, performers like Leon “Foster” Thomas, Jonathan Scales, Freddy Harris III, and Le’Roi Simmonds, some of whom will be performing at the festival, are taking the instrument to new heights. The steel pan was created by young men of mainly African descent, and inherent in its history is a tradition of improvisation. This melds well with both jazz and contemporary music, as there is freedom to create and explore.
Q: Your work extends beyond music into multicultural education and creative aging. Can you share more about that?
A: I use the tools I acquired through my musical and educational journey to share ways people of all ages can use their talents across different spheres. We often fail to realize that the skills artists, educators, and others have honed over the years can be successfully transferred to the corporate boardroom and other arenas.
In terms of creative aging, I use the skills I gained from Lifetime Arts ( a US-based non-profit dedicated to integrating arts education and social engagement into services for older adults) to, in my case, use the instruments of the steelband to, as Lifetime Arts says, “enhance well-being, boost physical and cognitive abilities and enrich quality of life.”
Q: What role do mentorship and legacy play in your work?
A: Mentorship is very important to me. I gained from the mentorship of persons across the globe. “Each one, teach one” is an adage that I believe in. We learn not only from the journey of our ancestors but from those around us. I learn from my students, and I hope that they learn from me.
Q: Why is the Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival so important to South Florida and the Caribbean diaspora?
A: The Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival is important to South Florida and the Caribbean diaspora as it engenders pride in our history, in our collective experiences, and in those who have worked through their lives to practice and promote jazz music. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate and learn from our hometown heroes.
Q: What do you hope audiences take away from this year’s festival?
A: I hope that audiences take home with them a renewed sense of pride in the accomplishments of our youngsters, an appreciation of the talent shared with the community, and the sense of joy and camaraderie that music brings.
Professional Background
Dawn K. Batson, Ph.D., is a seasoned professional in multicultural education and arts administration. She specializes in the steel pan as a medium for cross-cultural outreach.
Dr. Batson has over forty years of experience in multicultural education and arts administration. She is also the Executive Director of Keep Your Joy and Rise, LLC. In this role, she conducts global training sessions in personal empowerment, team building and creative aging.
Dr. Batson holds a B.Sc. degree in Music Education from Hofstra University and an M.M in Music Business. She also holds a Ph.D. combining Music, Business, and International Affairs from the University of Miami. Furthermore, Dr. Batson has taught at all educational levels. She established the first steelband programs at the University of Miami and Florida Memorial University.
She served as tenured Professor of Music and Chair of Visual and Performing Arts at Florida Memorial University.
Dr. Batson has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to the International Steelband Movement, Who’s Who in America, and serves on various boards.
Her compositions are performed globally, blending traditional and contemporary elements. She is committed to pushing the boundaries of the steelband movement. She also works to nurture the next generation of musicians, scholars and leaders.
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