Acclaimed multi-genre performer and singer-songwriter Peetron Thomas has crossed a major professional threshold, officially graduating from ABCAS Harrison Centre after two years of rigorous academic coursework and hands-on practical training to earn his Diploma in Music Production. For the Antigua and Barbuda creative, this milestone is far more than a personal achievement—it marks the opening of a transformative new chapter focused on expanding accessible music education, nurturing young creative talent, and boosting the long-term growth of his home nation’s dynamic creative industries.
Thomas plans to leverage the specialized technical knowledge and real-world production skills he gained through his diploma program to advance his own career as an entertainer, while also elevating Antigua and Barbuda’s broader musical and cultural ecosystem. Longer-term, he holds ambitions to scale his impact beyond national borders to reach regional and global audiences. A vocal advocate for formal skills development for emerging creatives, Thomas is actively encouraging aspiring singers, songwriters, artists, and aspiring producers to explore the Music Production program at ABCAS Harrison Centre, noting that the two-year curriculum delivers the foundational technical, creative, and practical expertise needed to launch or strengthen a professional career in music. In a message to emerging creatives, Thomas emphasized: “Once you believe in yourself, you can achieve it. Just keep on trying. Don’t stop believing. Work hard every day and you will see your dreams become reality.”
Wasting no time putting his new credentials to work, Thomas is already preparing to launch his first major public education initiative: 780 Music Mode, a community-focused music education and production program recently approved for operation at Antigua and Barbuda’s National Public Library. The program’s unique name draws inspiration from the Dewey Decimal Classification system, where the call number 780 is reserved exclusively for music-related works. Operating under the overarching theme “A Lifetime of Learning, A World of Music” and the motto “Learn, Play, Create, Produce,” the initiative is designed to serve participants across all age groups, breaking down barriers to entry by requiring no prior musical experience to join.
The program is structured into three tailored tracks to meet the needs of different age groups. Kids Music Mode welcomes children aged 4 to 12 every Monday at 3:30 p.m. in the library’s Youth Services Department. For adolescents aged 13 to 18, Teen Music Mode holds sessions every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in the library’s Teen Space located in the Lower Jarvis Reading Room. To ensure inclusive access for older community members, Senior Adult Music Mode serves participants aged 50 and up on pre-scheduled selected dates in the library’s Convent Room. All tracks offer engaging, hands-on learning experiences that cover core musical competencies, from basic fundamentals of rhythm and melody to singing, songwriting, musicianship, audio recording, and modern music production. Participants are only asked to come ready to learn, experiment, and create, with Thomas serving as the program’s lead facilitator.
This new library-based initiative aligns with Thomas’s broader goal of expanding his work into formal music education, building on his existing community and youth development work through his flagship organizations Peetron Movement International, Peetron Music, and the Work Fu Um initiative. To date, his community work has included the popular Work Fu Um Summer Camp, with planning already underway for the second annual Work Fu Um Christmas Camp. Thomas views 780 Music Mode as a critical first step in his educational mission, with hopes that the program will grow into a permanent, sustainable resource for music education and creative development across the country.
Beyond the new library program, Thomas has far larger ambitions for music and youth development across Antigua and Barbuda. He confirmed that his team is currently preparing formal proposals to submit to the minister responsible for creative industries for one major national youth development project, alongside two additional standalone music development initiatives. While Thomas declined to share specific details of the upcoming projects publicly as they move through the planning phase, he noted that more information will be released as the initiatives approach their official launch dates.
Reflecting on his journey to earning his diploma, Thomas took time to acknowledge the network of supporters that helped him reach this point. He paid particular tribute to his mother, Brenda (Kharol) Thomas, for her unwavering belief in his ambitions and consistent support throughout every stage of his training. He also extended gratitude to his friends and personal supporters, as well as the management and staff of the National Public Library—where he currently works—for their ongoing encouragement. Thomas completed his required program internship with Pointville Communications, gaining on-the-ground experience through the organization’s PBN TV and Pointe FM outlets, and thanked his internship supervisors Dr. Eldean Eudelle and Jeremiah Toussaint for their mentorship and guidance that shaped his professional skills. Finally, he recognized the management and faculty of ABCAS Harrison Centre, particularly his lead lecturers Anderson Jacobs and Gavin Christopher, whose instruction played a foundational role in developing his abilities as a musician and entertainer.
For Thomas, earning his diploma is not the end of his professional journey, but rather a new foundation to build on for future impact. With 780 Music Mode poised to launch and multiple new development projects in the pipeline, his focus is now fixed on growing as an entertainer, practitioner, and educator—while using his new skills and experience to expand access to music education across Antigua and Barbuda, and eventually scale his work to reach a broader regional and global audience.