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 Debra Romain is a
dedicated pan player in the UK. A classically trained musician,
Debra has been teaching pan in schools and within different bands she has
spent time with, for over fifteen years.
As a child, her first playing
days started with Stardust Steel Orchestra, then under the direction of
its founder, Randolph Baptiste. Since those early days she has since
played with Stardust, Ebony, Mangrove and Trinidad’s Phase II Pan Groove... to name but a few.
In 1994 Debra became the first
female band manager/arranger in the National Panorama competition in London, with her own band called New Creation Steel Band.
She returned to her roots in 2008 when she rejoined Stardust
Steel Orchestra; this time, however, she was on board as the arranger of their
Panorama 2008 entry, once more making it as the only female arranger of the
National Panorama competition.
Debra
presently retains her responsibilities in the capacity of arranger for
Stardust, but also finds time to pursue additional challenges. She
is currently teaching both pan and vocal lessons at a top specialist
music status school in West London, where she is acting as Musical
Director of Twyford Steel Orchestra, currently part of the Ealing Music
service in England.
During her many years with
Mangrove Steelband, she consistently arranged for their junior band, and
indeed won five consecutive Junior Panorama competitions arranging the
following selections: My Time – Denyse Plummer (2000);
Mash it Up –
Destra Garcia (2002); Music
In We Blood – Len “Boogsie” Sharpe (2003);
Look
de Band Coming – Shurwayne Winchester (2004) and in 2005, Dead or Alive also by Shurwayne
Winchester.
click for more
on the Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form
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