Change in Pace and Time
 for Mark Loquan

New York -  Composer Mark Loquan has a change in rhythm and pace after the hectic 2006 panorama season in Trinidad and Tobago.  With his composition 'Colours Again' vocalized by soca star Destra Garcia a popular choice among steel orchestras for panorama, and another - 'Good Times'  - sung by Denyse Plummer also finding favor with other bands, one might be tempted to think there were enough accolades to go around for the time being - at least until next year.

Ohio - Tyler McCleary doesn't have a lot of free time lately.

The Clark Montessori High School sophomore is balancing press interviews, steel drum practice, meetings with radio station executives and a photo shoot with funk star Bootsy Collins.

The work of McCleary, 15, and his classmates in the school's steel drum band is part of their effort to organize a benefit concert to raise money for industrial-strength dryers and a washer for the Drop Inn Center, a homeless shelter in Over-the-Rhine.

Pan in the 21^st Century/Pan Down Memory Lane

Single Pan Bands and Conventional Bands participating in Pan in the 21^st Century/Pan Down Memory Lane Competitions 2K6 are reminded that registration closes at 4:00 pm on Friday 31^st March 2006.

Pan in the 21^st Century & Down Memory Lane is produced by Pan Trinbago in conjunction with the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad & Tobago (TSTT).  The former is open to Conventional Bands while the latter is designed for the Single Pan Bands.

Preliminary round of judging will be held at the various panyards or venues, dates and times will be announced.

Conventional Bands must play tunes selected from theontemporary World Beat repertoire while Single Pan Bands are required to play a non-calypso tune in calypso tempo.

Arrangements should be innovative, creative and in a different manner than is normally done in the typically Panorama music format.  In both competitions, the tune must not be more than six (6) minutes.

From the Preliminary round, twelve (12) bands in each category will be selected to go forward to the Finals.

WITCO Desperadoes and LH Pan Groove will be defending their respective titles.

Entry forms are available at all Pan Trinbago Region Offices.

 

Media/Communications
Pan Trinbago

Dominica To Host
OECS Junior SteelPan Competition

Dominica -  On Sunday April 30th, 2006 the OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States) Junior Pan Competition will be held on the Caribbean island  of Dominica.    In groups of twenty, the youngsters from their respective countries, aged sixteen years and under, will be in the spotlight in Dominica's Botanical Gardens.  Seven countries are participating - St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Dominica, Montserrat, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Vincent and Grenada.  In addition, Pan Trinbago is sending a delegation of 25 students from Trinidad and Tobago as guest performers.  A five-day run-up program devoted to the steelpan instrument will begin April 26, and is to include forums and workshops on pan making, tuning and related activities.  A special delegation from Trinidad is also expected to discuss pan tuning and the care of the steelpan instrument.

Germany - Dortmund, Germany is the place to be this weekend as its annual steelpan festival gets underway.  PanWeekend 2006 will take place for the second consecutive year and the venue is Dortmund's Solendo beach.

The 2005 steelpan festival featured one week of events and performances.  According to WerNer Weidensdorfer whose steelband club, PanKultur organized and hosts the festival, overwhelming response to the first festival led to the decision to try to make it an annual event.  The key difference this time around is the shortened format  - one weekend instead of one week.  Last year, the event coincided with and became a fitting tribute to the 10th anniversary of the existence of PanKultur.

Sesame Flyers, Much More Than a Steelband -  An Institution

 
New York - The night belonged to the youth performers, their proud instructors, parents and the Sesame Flyers International Organization who have skillfully engineered and managed a series of very successful educational and cultural programs throughout Brooklyn, New York that have become integral parts of the fabric of the community they serve. The Beacon Programs, as they are known, are the talk of the town. Young people from all over the community participate in these Beacon initiatives to develop their talents and acquire new skills that will assist them in the future.

Making music on the steel drums!

United Kingdom - Making music on the steel drums!
It's always good to learn an instrument, but even more fun to learn an unusual one!

Lauren is part of the steel drum band at her school, and in her report she tells us all about it.

Carriers of The Flag
A Steelband Tradition

 

Deeply rooted in tradition and history is the role of the steelband flag carrier.  It is a special time-honored position that requires confidence, grace and skill.  When Steel Talks takes a look at those who carried the flag at this year's panorama with particular focus on the "flag woman" as we continue our celebration of Women in Pan.