Timothy Bally is a 25 year-old musician who began his musical journey at the tender age of 5. He learnt the steelpan, piano and music theory eventually attaining Grade 2 Piano from Trinity College London, Grade 6 Solo Steelpan Performance from the University of the West Indies (Department of Creative and Festival Arts), Grade 6 Voice from Trinity College London, and Grade 8 Theory with both Trinity College London and the Associate Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). Timothy is also proficient on the alto and soprano saxophones, the trombone, the trumpet, the clarinet, and has even dabbled in the cuatro and the violin.
In 2010, he joined the Susamachar Presbyterian Youth Steel Orchestra where he had the opportunity to learn the different members of the Steelpan family. He has also arranged over 60 pieces for the church’s orchestras thus far. He is an active organist at the Susamachar Presbyterian Church and has also had the opportunity of serving as an organist at St. Paul’s Church, Egham Hythe, England. Timothy was also a founding member of the Naparima College Steel Orchestra, established in 2011 and was instrumental in building the group up to a large school band which played regularly for all school functions.
In 2018, Timothy made the courageous decision to switch his anticipated career path from Engineering to Music, pursuing a Bachelor’s in Music at Royal Holloway, University of London. There he immediately got involved with the Royal Holloway Gospel Choir as co-Musical Director alongside Chiara Calastri, a position he held until March 2020, when Covid-19 brought choral singing in the UK to a halt. It was also there that he discovered the amazing world of Ethnomusicology, and decided to follow this route academically for his Master of Music degree which he completed at the Royal Holloway, University of London in 2022.
Ever ambitious, Timothy and his friend Ajnish Mohip, decided to form a music company that would afford opportunities to young, budding musicians in Trinidad and Tobago to perform or record their music. On the 11th of May, 2019 Hummingbird Music Productions was launched and he hopes to encourage young musicians to follow their dreams and Soar to New Horizons.
An amateur composer, Timothy has composed a few short pieces and has begun exploring film composing with the help of Marc Beepath (Wrecked- a 2021 short film), and Daniel Baptiste and Joshua Dowlath (Kisses on Cuts- a 2021 short film). He hopes to continue his composing career as time progresses.
Outside of the music world, Timothy is an avid scout whose scouting career began in 2005 as a member of the 1st St. Peters Cub Pack. At Naparima College he immediately joined the 1st Naparima College Sea Scout Troop and became a member of the Troop’s marching band where he held such roles as Drum Major and arranger.
Amongst his many achievements are the President’s Cub Pack Award, the highest award available for Cub Scouts in Trinidad and Tobago , the Chief Scout Award, the highest award available for scouts, and the President’s Scout Award (Queen’s Scout or Eagle Scout Equivalent), the highest award available in scouting in Trinidad and Tobago. At Naparima College he proudly served as Head Boy for the academic year 2016/17 and was selected as Valedictorian for the graduating class of 2017. However, his proudest achievement remains placing 1st Regionally in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (C.A.P.E. or Caribbean A’ Level Equivalent) Performing Arts (Music) exam in 2016 .
Timothy has always had a love for teaching and hopes that, despite his many other interests, he will one day fulfil his dream of being a University Lecturer or Professor.
