Mildred Lowe

Mildred Lowe celebrates 62 years in the music business. She is a music educator and pianist who hails from the city of Georgetown in Guyana. She specifically grew up in Alberttown and Cummingsburg in the city and attended Fountain AME school, and Baird’s Under-12 for her primary education and Cambridge Academy for her secondary education, until she was 16 years. For a very brief period, after secondary school, she tried typewriting and shorthand classes, but these did not work because of her love for music. 

Mildred’s musical journey began as a child at home, as she was born into a musical family, The Hunte’s. This musical talent was passed down through generations. Her grandmother and mother were both musicians. Her mother was musically gifted, so it would appear that Mildred really had no alternative when it came to music. Mildred learned music from her mother, who was taught by Ms. Mariam Daniels, and Mildred’s mother eventually taught music. As Mildred got older, musical concerts on the weekends became a part of her life.

In 1958, Mildred began attending classes for and performing on the piano and cello at the Music Festival held in Guyana. While she took piano classes at home with her mother, she attended cello classes with Mr. Francis Percival Loncke. It was from there that she became involved in the Family Class with her sister and mother. She was also taught Advanced Piano lessons by Ms. Daphne Scott.

Instead of attending her short-lived typing and shorthand classes, Mildred would find her way to the Music Festival. It was at this festival that she spoke with Mr. Glen Woodman who had a choir performing at the Festival and lamented to him about not liking her typing and shorthand classes. He recommended her to Mr. Robert McCrae at Brickdam School, who allowed her to unknowingly audition for a teaching position, on the spot. She was told to play a march on the piano, which turned out to be part of her role at the beginning of the school day. This was the beginning of her employment as a teacher where she spent two years from 1966 to 1968.

From 1968 to 2001, Mildred became a member of The Woodside Voice Choir, now Woodside Choir, International. In 1971, as a member of Woodside Choir she performed in Suriname for Suriname’s Trade Fair. To date, when time permits, she gets involved in the work of the choir. 

In 1969, Mildred attended the Multilateral Training College, an institution that trained secondary school teachers. Two years later, she graduated, specializing in Language, Spanish, and Literature. Following this training, she taught Music and English at Charlestown Secondary School. While there, she was exposed to the first dance teacher’s program at the Guyana National School of Dance (GNSD) that was launched by the Haitian-American dancer and choreographer, Madam Lavinia Williams. This experience allowed Mildred to become a dance teacher. In 1975, she moved from Charlestown Secondary School to Lodge Community High School, and in 1976, she moved on to St. Stanislaus College, until 1980 when she went abroad to continue her studies.   

It should be noted that Mildred has had the honor of being involved in many cultural delegations. Her first experience at the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) was in 1972 when Guyana hosted the first ever CARIFESTA. Later, in 1979, she was a part of the delegation representing Guyana at CARIFESTA hosted by Cuba. In 1992 and 1995, she had two more similar experiences, but these times in Trinidad, the host of CARIFESTA for these two years.

In 1983, Mildred earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Education from Caldwell University in New Jersey, returned to Guyana and began her work at the Department of Culture as the Assistant Director of Music. In this position, she led musical workshops, and taught new music, which was mostly Guyanese music (folk and national songs). She was part of the GuyFesta team touring Guyana and addressing Guyanese culture. She edited books relative to Guyanese music. She also wrote a music magazine for Woodside Choir and was instrumental in running the radio program, Mid-morning Classics which featured Classical Music where she also spoke about the composers. In addition, she was a part of the Burrowes School of Arts and Exhibitions. In 1985, Mildred spent a term (three months) learning music at the London Commonwealth Institute as one of CARICOM’s Cultural Officers in training to become a Chief Cultural Officer in the Caribbean. From 1986 to 2001, she became Guyana’s representative to Canadian Crossroads, an exchange program between Guyana and Canada.   

Further, as an employee of the Department of Culture, she attended Directors of Culture meetings in particular Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) countries. In addition, she arranged many shows in Guyana for visiting Heads of State such as Queen Elizabeth and many others from CARICOM. As a cultural leader, she attended many international conferences and had the opportunity to adjudicate at the Children’s Music Festival in Grenada. In addition, she got the opportunity to visit Paris in attendance to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conference on copyrighting.  From 1992, she served as the Chairman of the Department of Culture until 2001, when she resigned, then retired.  

In 2001, Mildred migrated with her family to the United States, and settled in New York. For 17 years, she worked with the New York City Board of Education and taught music in the public school system. She taught in elementary schools (Pre-K through Grade 5). Students were taught music, singing, keyboard and recorders, depending on grade levels. As a teacher in NYC, she regularly attended various conferences and workshops organized by teaching institutions. While teaching, in 2005 she earned a Master of Science in Educational Technology from New York Institute of Technology. 
In 2018, Mildred retired after lending 50 years of service to the educational system. Currently, she is a music minister within the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island where she plays music for the choir and church services. Due to the pandemic, she is engaged in virtual services through her music that she records and is now considered to be tech savvy. 

Mildred continues to enjoy her musical life and life on the whole with her family members, and sons, Kurleigh, Kevin and Kenrick who are also musicians in their own right. She has received many awards for her prowess as a musician. These include the Golden Arrow of Achievement from the Guyana government; The James H. Robinson Award for International Service from the Canadian Crossroads; The Guyana Cultural Association Award for her preservation of Guyanese culture; and Brooklyn’s Borough President, Eric Adams recognition for 50 years of teaching.