Over Black History Month we will be working to celebrate Balsall Heath Black History, and highlighting individuals who have made a contribution in Balsall Heath. Our first focus is on Byron Jackson – someone many of our members know and who is still working for the advancement of opera and classical music in local communities:
Byron Jackson
Byron Jackson is an internationally acclaimed opera singer of Jamaican descent, born 1981 and raised in Birmingham.
Brought up by his grandmother Ivy May Jackson, part of the Windrush generation. She had emigrated in 1961 and settled in Balsall Heath. Byron’s grandmother was a devout Pentecostal as well as an independent matriarch who single-handedly raised her family.
Byron attended Heath Mount Primary School (1986-1993) where he discovered his love of singing, drama and history. It was at primary school that Bron Salway roped him into school choir and this left an indelible impression on him. After this, he went to Kings Heath Boy’s school (1993-1998). After finishing his GCSEs he immediately started as a saturday assistant at Balsall Heath Library – he continued working for the Libary Services until 2010.
After seeing his first opera, ‘Madame Butterfly’, at aged 17, Byron became fascinated with Opera. After one year of a Music Arts Degree at Coventry University, Byron auditioned and was given a place to study vocal and operatic studies at Birmingham Conservatoire in 2002.
His debut performance was as Adonis in John Blow’s chamber opera Venus, and for Wolverhapton Youth Music Theatere at Middleton Hall. Byron also toured schools and concert venues in the West Midlands with Operamus. Byron’s professional debut was as Rangwan in 2007 in Delius’ ‘Koanga’. He has since performed with many prestigious companies and returned to Birmingham Opera Company in 2012 to sing the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Life is a Dream.
Byron is the Artistic Director of Persona Arts (formerly BJ Music Events Ltd), a charitable organisation to bring the opera, classical and choral music arts to the people of the West Midlands and their communities. It strives to provide singers and musicians of diverse backgrounds a chance to perform and develop their craft.
In 2019, Byron was made Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for his work in the advancement of opera and classical music in local communities.
- www.personaarts.org.uk
- www.byron-jackson.com
- Stars of Balsall Heath Editor BHLHS Val Hart 2019
