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Tyrese Grant named 2026 Jit Samaroo Bursary recipient

Release date:
12 August 2026
                           

Tyrese Grant, the 2026 recipient of the Jit Samaroo Bursary, says the award will help him continue developing the knowledge and skills he hopes to bring back to the bp Renegades Steel Orchestra.

 

Grant, a member of both the Renegades junior and senior bands, is currently pursuing a BA in Performing Arts with a specialty in music at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. The bursary provides support to bp Renegades players pursuing formal training and is intended to help strengthen both the individual recipient and the wider orchestra.

 

“Being a recipient of the Jit Samaroo Bursary means a lot to me because you know how hefty tertiary-level studies can be,” Grant said. “It’s given me more time to study my development and to look at my studies with less focus on funding.”

 

bpTT launched the Jit Samaroo Award in 2017 to align its long-standing support for the Renegades with the company’s focus on development through education. The award is offered to members of the bp Renegades to support full-time and part-time education programmes. Recipients must satisfy academic criteria to continue receiving payment and must pledge their commitment to the band depending on the length of their programme. Grant is the third recipient.

 

bp Renegades president Colin Greaves said the bursary reflects the importance of investing in formal training for band members so that their development can also benefit the wider organisation and community.“

 

The concept here is that a player from the band would have access to funding to pursue formal training that could come back to redound to the benefit of the orchestra, or the community in some way, especially if it’s in the creative arts,” he said.

 

Named in honour of the late Jit Samaroo, the bursary celebrates one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most influential steelpan arrangers and his enduring connection to bp Renegades. Samaroo’s relationship with the band spanned more than four decades, during which he led Renegades to nine National Panorama titles, including the historic hat-trick from 1995 to 1997.

 

The award also continues a wider tradition of youth development within Renegades. Previous bursary recipients have remained closely connected to the organisation as players and tutors, supporting the next generation of pannists through the band’s academy.

 

For Grant, the opportunity is both personal and purposeful.

 

“I want to use what I learn to improve myself and to contribute more to Renegades,” he said. “This support gives me the chance to focus on my studies and my growth as a musician.”The Jit Samaroo Bursary forms part of bpTT’s continued support for bp Renegades and its commitment to helping young people access opportunities through education, culture and the arts. Through the award, bpTT and Renegades continue to honour Samaroo’s legacy while helping to shape the future of steelpan.