Verlando small biography of benjamin

Verlando Small twins intellectual pursuits with the sax

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

Digicel Rising Stars 2013 winner, saxophonist Verlando Small, is more than just the first instrumentalist to win the 10-year-old talent competition.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Avenue, the talented youngster talked about education, his music, his plans, and how his success has inspired others.

Unknown to many is Small's academic achievements.

He just recently, after his Rising Stars success, graduated from the University of the West Indies (UWI) with a degree in geology.

"Yeah, it's a great accomplishment," he said of his degree.

Small minored in geography.

"My love in high school (Charlemont in Linstead, St Catherine) was geography, and I wanted to do environmental science when I got to UWI. I saw it in the brochure, but when I went there, they said the year before not many students were signing up for the course, so they dropped it.

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