Veteran instrumentalist Elvette De Costa, better known as 'De Mighty Anando,' teaches a student how to strum the guitar.

Winston 'Zack' Nisbett, known around the Federation as the Doctor of Culture, is a curator and historian extraordinaire whose decades-long personal mission has been to preserve as many of the country's traditions as possible. High on that list is imparting the musical skills needed to play instruments like the banjo, fife, and quatro to the younger generation.

To this end, aided by a sponsorship provided by the National Olympic Association of St. Kitts and Nevis and its president, Alphonso Bridgewater, Nisbett is engaged in supervising daily musical training workshops for approximately 20 youngsters. The trainees are mainly students from St. Pauls Primary School, and receive their lessons at the International House Museum and Edgar Challenger Library, located at the corner of Central and College Streets in downtown Basseterre.

The workshops, which run from 5 - 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturdays, officially opened on Monday, April 26 and will conclude on Saturday, May 22, when a formal closing ceremony will be held on the aforementioned premises.

The 2005 winner of the prestigious Unsung Hero award for St. Kitts and Nevis, which is presented annually by FirstCaribbean International Bank, Nisbett has received many plaudits over the years for his cultural work involving children.

At a recent musical training session, he continuously stresses the importance of discipline and personal presentation to his young students.

"Come forward please," he firmly exhorts a trainee who is appears reluctant to stand in front of the assembled group to perform a solo selection. "Walk briskly like you have life in you, and show that you're ready to play."

After the first player has been heartily applauded for his efforts, a succession of students each demonstrate their nascent mastery of various instruments before the audience.

Earlier in the session, before listening to the series of short, well-played selections by his musical neophytes, Nesbitt delivered an opening message intended to inspire and encourage.

"We want excellence," he told the students. "That is what we are looking for. You have been doing well so far in the past two weeks, and we want to see that continue. We want to see an improvement every day."

In explaining his motivation to train the youngsters, Nisbett is adamant in asserting the long-term importance of preventing musical traditions, such as the playing of the wood fife, from dying out.

"It is imperative that we preserve our cultural heritage, and instill cultural awareness within the youth at an early age," he said.

"In order to do so, we have to create an environment whereas we keep the venerable patriarchs, those cultural architects who have been involved in the arts over the years, alive by incorporating them into cultural activities to keep them feeling young," he said, specifically mentioning Elvette De Costa, a musician for over 40 years who has been helping Nisbett to train the students.

"The main objective is to have a full cultural awakening in both St. Kitts and Nevis. And as the Doctor of Culture, I am the one who everyone looks up to when it comes to cultural development," he continued.

For decades Nisbett has been an integral figure in such activities, from such diverse art forms as Maypole dancing to poetry expositions.

"I have been involved in every aspect of culture in the country," he proudly proclaims.

The public is invited to attend the closing ceremony on May 22, scheduled for 4 p.m., when certificates will be presented to those students who have completed the course of study. For the occasion, the young people will be decked out in black bow ties, white shirts, and black pants.

Showcasing what they have learned during the month of training, the 'graduates' will play musical selections ranging from ballads and sentimental pieces to the national anthem.

The International House Museum and Edgar Challenger Library is named after the famed historian and founder of St Kitts' trade and labour movement. After his passing in 2001, Challenger's home was maintained by his caregiver Nisbett, who turned it into a place where the history of St. Kitts and Nevis is studiously preserved.