Official Event Release from Pan Symposium

Date: 04.24.06

 Atlanta Pan Symposium In Review

“Pan in the 21st Century:
The Scholarship and Music of
Steel Drums”

click here for pictorial review

Dr. Ajamu Nyomba

Atlanta, Georgia - April 21, 2006 was proclaimed “Pan People Steelband Day`” in Atlanta, Georgia, by the Atlanta City Council. The proclamation was made to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the formation of the group in the Atlanta University Center, the largest consortium of black higher education in the world.  A symposium, “Pan in the 21st Century: The Scholarship and Music of Steel Drums” held at Clark Atlanta University, on April 20-21 was the first of several activities planned to celebrate this milestone.

Over 100 participants, including students, university professors and other pan lovers, from 10 US states, Canada, France and Trinidad and Tobago attended the symposium. They came from several US colleges and universities: Howard, Harvard, Indiana State, Northern Illinois, New York, Florida Memorial, Georgia State, Spelman, Morehouse and Livingstone College.

Topics addressed at the symposium varied from the business and economics of pan to the psychological influences on the memory of the players, the acoustics of pan, and the state of pan in New York and in Trinidad and Tobago.
 

Dr. Aurelie Helmlinger

Dr. Aurelie Helmlinger from Paris discussed the memorization of panorama repertoire by pannists in Trinidad and Tobago, the topic of her doctoral dissertation. 

Dr. Alma Vinyard, literature professor and chair of the English Department at Clark Atlanta University, used performance theory to compare pan and carnival in Trinidad to involvement of marching bands at US colleges and universities in homecoming parades and festivities.  Dr. Ewe Hansen, Professor Emeritus of Physics at Indiana State University used several holograms of note sections in his discussion of the acoustics of pan.  Hansen stated that physicists have for long been conducting modal studies of the characteristic “steel” sound.

The session on “the Business and Economics of Pan” generated much discussion among the participants. Dr. Bernice de Gannes-Scott, Associate Professor of Economics at Spelman College, in her paper on entrepreneurship in the pan industry, presented a theoretical economic [plan] and pointed out the need for government initiatives to support entrepreneurial activity in the pan industry.  She noted that pan was not among the seven industries targeted for expansion and development in government’s Vision 2020 plan.  She presented several policy recommendations for positioning the steelpan industry as a rightful and viable contributor to employment and gross domestic product of Trinidad and Tobago.
 

Dr. Dawn Batson

Dr. Nyomba pointed out that income within steelbands and between pannists and calypsonians was historically inequitably distributed, and discussed the “culture capital” characteristics possessed by pannists, tuners and arrangers.  "These non-economic, qualitative characteristics must be taken into account in order to place a value on their respective contributions to the pan industry," argued Dr. Nyomba.

Dr. Bernice de Gannes-Scott

Nestor Sullivan, (manager of both Pamberi Steel Orchestra, and Trinidad & Tobago's National Steel Orchestra) and Ian Belgrave, (former president of the Pan in Schools Coordinating Council)  were the only presenters from Trinidad and Tobago. Sullivan blasted the government for not having a sustainable approach to funding the pan industry.  He called for national policies on steelband which will define the roles of the institutions involved in the pan movement, such as steelbands, the government and the media. He noted that the media was silent on the need for government and the organization that represents steelbands [Pan Trinbago], to be present at these types of conferences. Sullivan called for a program where tuners will be salaried and provided the necessary support to meet the demand for pan - both at the local and international pan markets.  He was also critical of the state of pan music education in Trinidad and Tobago.

Ian Belgrave discussed the role of the mass movement in the historical evolution of pan. “It is the nature of the mass movement which impacts on the steelband and is responsible for its fundamental characteristics: as a vehicle for resistance, of well defined organizational structures and supreme creativity,” stated Belgrave. He believe that a resurgence of this mass movement is necessary “if the steelband is to realize to the fullest its new potential as the international musical discovery.”
 

Judge Ray Funk

The audience viewed vintage footage of pan from television and the movies in the presentation of calypso historian, Judge Ray Funk from Alaska, and a DVD presentation by Dr. William Aho, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island. They were also treated to pan music by soloists Ron Reid and Anthony Bharath.

The symposium culminated with a reception to honor Pan People Steelband on its 20 years in Atlanta. Several representatives from the Atlanta arts and business communities paid tribute to the group. Symposium participants were treated to music from the group’s varied repertoire.  The group also received a commendation from the governor of the State of Georgia for using its musical talents to  “'entertain, educate, and inspire' youth in local communities in Atlanta.”

As the symposium ended, Dr. Nyomba was asked about plans for a next symposium.  “Our next step is to publish the proceedings of the symposium into the first edition of a scholarly journal on pan. We are also planning to produce a DVD of the program because it is important to disseminate this information.  In the meantime we will be looking for a host for next year’s symposium.  Maybe the government will step up to the plate and not abdicate its responsibility to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and the world of pan.”

But notably absent from this year's symposium was official representation from both Pan Trinbago and the government of Trinidad and Tobago.   According to Dr. Nyomba, who is Trinidadian and the symposium convener, this was a symptom of the myopic vision for the instrument by the world governing body for pan, and of the government of the birthplace of pan.  He believes Trinidad needs to start playing a major role in pan on an international level.

Dr. Nyomba had submitted proposals to both the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs and the Ministry of Culture for the sponsorship of participants from Trinidad and Tobago. In March, he met and discussed the symposium with officials of Pan Trinbago and the Pan in Schools Unit of the Ministry of Education.  “When I left Trinidad on March 8, I felt confident that there would be official representation from Trinidad and Tobago.  I followed up with numerous phone calls and emails to no avail.  There was some last minute communication between the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs and Pan Trinbago that yielded nothing.”

For more information, contact Dr. Ajamu Nyomba at 1 (404) 880-6286 or by e-mail, panatlanta@aol.com.

Pan in the 21st Century Symposium In Pictures

All pictures by Basement PanPhotographer - Russell Pope
©2006 When Steel Talks - All Rights Reserved

Related Story

Pan Symposium--Atlanta, Georgia, April 20-21, 2006

Top

Comment on this story at the Message Board

or:  Share your at opinions@panonthenet.com 

---

For the best in steelband music Buy your steelband CDs and DVDs here!

	A Pan Story The History of the Steelband Movement In Pictures As You've Never Seen Before..  Capture A Piece of History Click here to start the journey
	Master Clive Bradley The Greatest Steelband Arranger/Composer Ever As You've Never Heard Him Before! Click here to start the journey