12 top steel orchestras carded for finals WSMF

Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars perform at Queen’s Hall on Friday night at the final for Ensembles.

Three talented ladies of Ensemble champion Exocubs focus on conductor Desmond Waithe.

Photos: Lester Forde

Twelve of the nation’s top steel orchestras are listed to contest Saturday’s final for local participants in the World Steelband Music Festival (WSMF), at Jean Pierre Complex.

Representatives of the bands are expected to draw for places today on Dateline, at the Maraval Road studios of NBN-TTT, at 11 am. Representatives are requested to be at the venue half an hour before the live draw.

Each participating band is required to play two pieces, one being the mandatory Test Piece—Kitchener’s Pan in ‘A’ Minor.

Saturday’s final is scheduled to begin promptly at 7 pm and is also being billed as Pan is Beautiful X. The international finals for the WSMF are scheduled for London, England, in June 2005.

Two champions were crowned when the local leg of WSMF finals continued on Friday evening at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s. Under the astute direction of Desmond Waithe, Exocubs won the Ensemble category, ahead of seven other participants. Runners-up to the junior ensemble of St Augustine’s Exodus Steel Orchestra were Stryke Stars and Golden Hands.

Already crowned Solo category champion, ten-year-old Keisha Codrington was again in winners’ row on Friday as part of the victorious Pan Family, in the Quartet category. She was joined by her father (Cary Codrington) and siblings Khari and Kareem, to play the well loved William Tell Overture.

Tickets for Saturday’s final, priced at $75 and $100, are available at Pantac, Queen’s Park Savannah. Bookings can also be made by calling 624-8143 or 623-1940.