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Pan
Masters |
Maryland
- The formation of many a Steelband has historically evolved
from another existing band. Such is
the case of Pan
Masters. Some of the founding members of Pan Masters had
previously performed with the Trinidad and Tobago Steelband
of Washington, D.C. In May 1985, these individuals
decided to chart their musical aspirations in another
direction, and this resulted in the birth of Pan Masters
Steel Orchestra. The original members include Frankie
Balthazar, St Clair Balthazar, Roland Barnes, Robert Barnes,
Patrick Belle, Don Cumberbatch, Malcolm John, Lennard Jack,
Jr., Stephen Landrigan, Joseph Lewis and Brian Solomon. In
May 2005, Pan Masters Steel Orchestra celebrated
20 years of providing Steelband music in the
Washington Metropolitan Area. The band has traveled north as
far as Brooklyn, New York and south to North Carolina. The
band is based in North Brentwood, Maryland.
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You are
looking at a short samples of a
performance by Pan Masters, as captured by
When Steel Talks
'live,' outside, at their 2007 annual
Steelband Jamboree.
Click for more info |
It's accomplishments
include being adjudged, 1993 through 1998,
Steelband Champion in the Baltimore Panorama Competition;
recipient of the judges' award for outstanding performance at
the 1993 through 2002,
2004
and 2006 D.C. Caribbean
Carnival celebrations on Georgia Avenue; 1998
champion in the New York J’Ouvert competition: several
command performances at the Bluemont Concert Series, and the
inaugurations of former President Bill Clinton and former
Mayor Marion Barry. The band was also featured on the CD
“Bon Appetit” by Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, which won the
2003 Grammy for Best Children’s Album.
Over the years Pan
Masters has had the opportunity to expose Caribbean culture
to residents in several areas in Virginia. Whether it was
to showcase the stilt dancers such as Billah and Shacomba,
or the Caribbean Folk Dancers, Pan Masters was instrumental
in bringing the Caribbean to such places as Winchester,
Warrenton, Leesburg, Culpeper, Luray, Lansdowne and
Reston.
 Other
opportunities afforded Pan Masters included several
performances at Caribbean Summer in the Park, Prince
George’s County Bicentennial Celebrations, Kettering
Founder’s Day Parade, Hispanic Festival, Potomac Riverfest,
District of Columbia Parks and Recreation, City of Fairfax
Parks and Recreation, Maryland National Park and Planning
Commission, Montgomery County Ethnic Festival, Smithsonian
Institute, the Cherry Blossom Parade and Musikfest in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
A nother
notable accomplishment is providing opportunities for future
pannists to develop an appreciation for the art form. To
this end, Pan Masters has successfully conducted classes and
workshops. The success of this program can best be noted by
the fact that some of the graduates have joined Pan
Masters. Pan Masters has attributed its success to a strong
belief in the family, a strong and determined group of
musical arrangers, and an experienced administrative and
promotional organization, which places equal merit on
quality performers and good clientele relationships.
Pan Masters has
expanded its community programming to include an annual “Pan
Jamboree” which brings together Steelbands in an open
atmosphere similar to the open air pan performances held in
the Caribbean. Local groups include Pan Masters Steel
Orchestra, Positive Vibration, East of the River Steelband
and Tropical Ensemble. Out of town groups include CASYM,
Pantonic and Despers USA from New York. Additionally, Pan
Masters have increased their involvement in the DC Caribbean
Carnival wherein they organized and managed the Annual
Calypso Monarch Competition.
About Pan Masters
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