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On May 14th, 1988, in Pembroke, Tobago, Mrs. Lionel and Eldeca Manswell welcomed the 6th out of 8 children, Nyol into the world. The family lived happily in Pembroke, Tobago, until 1991 when tragedy struck. Lionel Manswell, the breadwinner of the family died leaving Mrs. Manswell to care for her eight children.
Mrs. Manswell still able to send her children to school. She did have quite a task on her hands, because Nyol was born visually impaired as a result of cataracts and glaucoma.
He attended the Pembroke Anglican School in Tobago,
where the teachers were inspired to work with a differently-abled student who was willing to work.
At age 12, in
recognition of his
considerable
aptitude and
positive attitude,
Nyol’s teachers
initiated a plan for
him to attend the
School for Blind
Children in Santa
Cruz, Trinidad. Nyol
was then enrolled as
a live-in student at
the School for Blind
Children and threw
himself into the
work and acquitted
himself admirably.
As a result of his
diligence Nyol was
able to attend the
Bourg Mulatress R.C.
School where he
wrote the S.E.A.
examinations to
continue on to the
San Juan Secondary
Comprehensive School
where he would later
excel, eventually
completing the 5
year academic
programme in 3 years
and graduating as
Valedictorian.
Parallel to his academic strivings, Nyol’s passion for music in general and singing in particular has blossomed. He
had begun to perform at small events and on one such occasion, was spotted by a faculty of the birdsong Academy and, Nyol
was invited to
visit.
Eventually Nyol enrolled in the birdsong Academy’s Music Literacy Programme for
Developing Musicians.
birdsong soon expanded its programme and included on their staff Rafael Robertson – jazz musician. This was to be a turning point in Nyol’s development as a musician as Raf soon became his mentor. Under his guidance and tutelage, Nyol was able to apply for and win a place at the renowned Berklee
School of Music.
True to form,
Nyol continues to
shine at Berklee,
doing very well in
all his courses and
also forming a band
called Music is
Life, now re-named
Orange Mango. He has
gone on to perform
with names such as
Marcus Valle, Jetro
Dasilva, Dennis
Montgomery, Donner
McElroy and Larry
Watson.
Nyol is now a
tutor at the
birdsong Academy
when he is in
Trinidad and intends
to continue to work
with them for as
long as he is
allowed. As he
advances to the next
level of his
journey, it is Nyol’s expressed wish to realise a career as a singer/songwriter and a motivator of young people. He believes that it is his destiny to use his story and his talent to inspire the world. |
