Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra
at
practice
New York,
USA -
The crowd
was there,
the food was
there and of
course the
music was
there. On
this warm
Summer night
the
community of
Crown
Heights,
Brooklyn was
rocking to
sounds and
music of a
world-class
steel
orchestra
preparing
for a major
competition
with two
weeks to go.
Area
residents
took full
advantage of
the front
seats and
view that
their
perfectly
positioned
homes
provided
them.
In addition,
many
out-of-towners
could be
seen
throughout
the yard
‘vibing’ and
taking in
the scene.
Yes indeed,
Carnegie
Hall,
Lincoln
Center and
Radio City
caliber
performances
in Brooklyn
for free.
As one
turned the
corner onto
the block of
the
orchestra -
the sound of
Sonatas hit
you with
full effect.
It awakens
and fills
your senses
with
anticipation
like the
aroma of
your
favorite
food.
Tonight,
there is a
flurry of
activity
taking place
in the yard,
as is
normally the
case.
Food for the
100-plus
players and
fans, work
on the
stands and
uniforms
sizes... to
name a few.
Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra
bassist
at
practice
As they
prepared
themselves
for the “Battle
Zone,”
which
happens to
be the tune
of choice -
the current
New York
steelband
panorama
music
champion,
Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra
made it very
clear to all
present at
their
panyard last
night that
the 2010
‘Empire
State’
panorama
championship
would be
coming
through
them.
Indeed, “all
challengers
beware.”
Arranger
Yohan
Popwell says
the tune is
finished
- all ten
minutes -
which means
that for the
next two
weeks, all
Sonatas is
potentially
doing, is
drill,
drill,
drill!
Almost
certainly,
none of
the other
eleven
advertised
competing
steel
orchestras
in the 2010
New York
panorama,
has the
luxury of
two full
weeks to
drill a
finished
arrangement.
It is simply
not the
norm.
But this is
Sonatas,
operating on
a completely
different
level, and
they are the
defending
champions.
Sonatas
musicians
pause to
listen
to their
arranger
Yohan
Popwell
The band was
out in full
force - this
year
electing to
come out of
their Winter
digs to
their
outside
practicing
facilities
much earlier
than in past
years. The
spot lights
lit up the
yard while
bouncing
rays of
light in
star shaped
patterns off
rows of
chrome
frontline
and
background
instruments,
shadowing
the
traditional
Sonatas
colors of
black and
gold on the
basses.
Arranger
Yohan
Popwell
takes
Sonatas
through
their
paces
With a
relaxed,
focused,
determined
and
confident
atmosphere,
their field
general and
noted
champion
arranger
Yohan
Popwell put
the
attentive
young crew
through
their paces.
Popwell is a
highly
successful
musician who
represents
the new
generation
of arrangers
that must be
innovative
with new
approaches
that embrace
the changing
times,
taste,
environment
and players,
while
simultaneously
delivering a
quality
product in
one of the
most
pressure-filled
musical
environments.
Indeed, for
an elite
musical
organization
- as second
place is not
an option.
Sonatas
at
practice
Moreover,
Popwell
understands
what is at
stake.
The highest
form of the
steelpan
artform and
musical
expression
is
representing
community,
one’s
family, and
collective.
And in this
regard, the
members of
Sonatas - as
of all the
other
competing
orchestras -
have
invested a
tremendous
amount of
time, energy
and effort
over the
past two
months
readying
themselves
for that
final moment
on the
panorama
stage.
There is
simply
nothing like
Panorama.
Be assured
that if
Bach,
Beethoven
and Mozart
were alive
today - they
would be
trying to
get an
arranging
gig with a
steel
orchestra in
Brooklyn.
Sonatas
players
rehearse
for the
2010 New
York
Panorama
competition
The
linch-pin to
a successful
steelband
panorama
music season
that has
tremendous
investment
in financial
and human
resources,
is the
arranger.
There are
many factors
that
contribute
to a
championship.
But none is
more
important
than the
arranger.
Yohan
Popwell may
not be
completely
immune to
the
pressures of
arranging
for a
champion
class
organization
in the
Empire
State, but
he is
successful,
un-phased by
it and
moreover, in
tune with
his players
and
management.
This musical
juggernaut
remains on
track to
maintaining
its record
as one of
the finest
music
performance
units in the
world.
No strangers
to the task
at hand -
the very
young but
abundantly
talented
veteran crew
is up for
the
challenge -
as they
attempt to
capture
back-to-back
championships.
And it would
be their 3rd
championship
in the last
four
attempts.
For many
musicians
this is the
final hurrah
for the
Summer
before
heading
back, or
going to -
college,
high school
and
Fall/Winter
routines.
Sonatas
players
rehearse
for the
2010 New
York
Panorama
competition
Sonatas is a
large
orchestra.
Remaining
under the
100-player
limit will
again surely
create
headaches
for Sonatas
management.
However, it
is a great
position to
be in.
There were
throngs of
enthusiastic
young
players
present
hoping to
make that
final cut.
From what
When Steel
Talks (WST)
saw and
heard last
night -
Sonatas is
in the air
and gearing
up for its
final
approach to
successfully
defending
its
championship.
Enter their
“Battle
Zone” at
your own
risk.
In
Pictures
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