She was born and raised in Brazil and her parents are from Rio Claro. Seeing her cradling a cuatro, one would think Tonya Silverthorne would have stories to tell about her great grandfather teaching her how to play a serenal. No such luck.
Brazil and Rio Claro are known for its strong parang heritage. But with the exception of her father related as cousin to the matriarch of the legendary band La Familia de Rio Claro, Tonya found the cuatro on her own. "I was a student at Holy Name Convent and the school was entering a parang competition. I wanted to join but the other girls had such lovely voices so I didn't make the cut. But I was asked if I would be interested in playing an instrument," the 23-year-old said. "The cuatro fit me best."
Now she plays for Voces de Promesa, a young band managed by languages teacher at St Augustine Girls' High School Darcelle Charles, which comprises past students of junior champion bands.
Don't call her a cuatrista though. She believes that title is revered for the very adept, skilled in playing the instrument with a special resonance. Tonya says she is still growing with the instrument, although she has Grade Seven proficiency in music. But she can be considered a pan woman. Following in her big sister Tamra's footsteps to learn music, their father enrolled Tonya at Mervin Saunders pan school in Arouca. She learnt the rudiments of music as early as five-years-old and continued until the penultimate grade at age 16.
"I know right? I was that close to reaching Grade 8 but I was at that age of rebellion. Continuous lessons on a Saturday morning, getting up at 8 am. I felt I was missing out on so much," she explained.
So she followed her sister again, this time at Republic Bank Exodus Pan yard and played tenor pan with the champion band in St Augustine.
"Daddy was not too keen at first but he was supportive. My first Panorama was in Lower Six. He didn't deny me the opportunity. It was some leeway to have some fun. Besides, my sis played in Panorama when she was 13. So I was not the first to do this," she said.
The exposure to a Panorama finals and later, her interest in the cuatro is strongly based on her love for music and a supportive father, who has encouraged her to do the best she can.
With her interest in cuatro, also in Lower Six, came lessons. And there's Mr Cummings, a Brazil resident and parrandero, who showed her more chords and how to play a castillian.
Her major influences are Los Alumnos de San Juan led by Alicia Jagessar and La Familia de Rio Claro led by Ramona Granger, they are mix of the contemporary and the traditional which sustains her love for the age-old art form.
"I see myself continuing with parang. When I play with my band, I feel connected. When I practise, it is fun. I never see it as a chore. When I have children, I want to pass it on to them," she said.
She does not believe parang is a dying art form. As a product of the secondary school parang competition, Tonya, like other young musicians have continued to create and perform. Her friends, who do not play in the band, enjoy coming along to performances and dancing to the music.
"It's like one family, when I play out. There is an ease to dancing with a stranger. Parang really gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling," she said.
Plus, she sees the next generation of parranderos coming behind her.
"When you go house to house, and we play at other family homes, you would see a little one playing a maracs and another playing a cuatro.
"I would also like to think parang is evolving. While the competition aspect of the art form brings out the performance in us, it is like an exam. Why be recognised in that format? But in creativity, we preserve the tradition," she said.
Tonya just graduated from UWI, Mona with a bachelor's degree in geology. Putting down the cuatro during her studies in Jamaica was hard for her but she caught up with the band during the Christmas vacations. Now that she's back home and preparing for the world of work, parang is again up at full speed, ready to perform with her band. And what about Panorama?
Yes, she's ready for that too.