Picture of the Week: National Institute of Arts Calendar Special Series “Music –Nyah Kalmera
The 2026 SHTA St. Maarten / St. Martin Events Calendar was a special edition. As it was the 10th edition of the calendar, it was decided to highlight not just one “cultural icon” as is commonplace on the calendar, but to cooperate with the institution that fosters most St. Maarten talents: The National Institute of the Arts (NIA).
The institute took the opportunity seriously, and engaged on a dedicated photoshoot at Fort Amsterdam, highlighting the many disciplines of their art education via various NIA models. Shiloh Bedminister, Mila Grandtner, Shannell Bucknor and Nyah Kalmera were chosen. In a series of four previous Photos of the Week studies of this unique photoshoot, we highlighted the backgrounds of other talents by means of their picture full of symbolism; finishing with Kalmera in this edition.
Her picture with violin in a window of Fort Amsterdam made it to the calendar apart from the group picture. She symbolized the music disciplines of NIA and is actually an avid violinist. Music is an important part of the multidisciplinary program at the institute, offering students opportunities to learn, perform and grow as young musicians. The program encompasses a wide range of musical disciplines, from instrumental instruction and vocal development to ensemble playing, musical theatre and orchestral performance.
Students can explore instruments including violin and other string instruments, flute, saxophone, trumpet and other brass instruments, bass guitar and percussion, while also developing their understanding of music theory and musicianship. NIA also provides opportunities for students to experience music as part of a larger ensemble, including through the NIA Youth Orchestra, where young musicians learn the discipline, cooperation and confidence that come with performing together.
For students interested in the performing arts beyond instrumental music, Musical Theatre brings together singing, acting and dance, allowing participants to develop their artistic expression across several disciplines. Currently this specific art is taught in a program for high school students at a secondary school on Sint Maarten. NIA also offers drumming and percussion.
NIA’s music education extends beyond its own classrooms through programmes such as the Leerorkest, which brings orchestral music into primary schools and gives children the opportunity to learn instruments and perform together at an early age.
Kalmera has been involved with NIA since childhood, including gymnastics and music. In 2015 she won a silver medal in an NIA/Club de Gym competition, and in 2017 she was part of the St. Martin gymnastics team that won gold in Guadeloupe. She is also a violinist with the NIA Youth Orchestra.
More recently, she has performed as a dancer. In 2026 she performed “The Upside of New Beginnings” at a Sint Maarten Foster Care Awareness Month event. Academically, she is also notable: in 2026, 16-year-old Nyah was reported as the top-performing student at St. Dominic High School, earning 10 Grade I CSEC passes.
Kalmera was elated about being part of the calendar this year, with multiple months to go and having her featured twice in over a 1000 hotel, office, shop and residential buildings “It felt very accomplishing and good to see myself on the SHTA calendar that I see all over the island every year, especially after wondering how they chose the featured picture of the year. My friends and family were extremely surprised and proud of me when they saw me and my NIA friends on the calendar.”
Arlene Halley, director of NIA, concurred. “Being featured on such a prestigious and widely circulated calendar, especially on a milestone edition, was a dream come true for me. And to be the first organization, rather than an individual to be featured was an honor. It has long been our goal to make NIA a household name and with the circulation this calendar reaches I think we have just about achieved that.”
