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A Trinidad and Tobago Philharmonic Orchestra?

Opinion Piece

   

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by Nestor Sullivan

 

 

Trinidad & Tobago - I recently read an advertisement in the local daily newspapers inviting applications for positions in the Trinidad & Tobago National Philharmonic Orchestra. The ad made a call for nationals who could play oboes, trumpets, saxophones, violins, violas, clarinets etc., to join this orchestra. I was totally confused by this development.  My immediate question was....“What do we need a philharmonic orchestra to do?” My next questions were.... “Whose idea was this?”  and “what were they thinking?”

For reasons of this article and to encourage further debate on the subject, I will offer my own answers to the questions above. I will also attempt to link the philharmonic orchestra to issues of nationalism, independence and identity of our country and region.

“I would want to encourage them to get on board, because STEELBAND is an expression of Our Being as a people. This is our music – it is our expression.”
 

Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer of Antigua & Barbuda...  commenting on the role of Caribbean Heads of State in an interview with ‘When Steel Talks’ (December 2008).
 

Why a Philharmonic Orchestra?

What do we need a Philharmonic Orchestra to do in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T)? Taxpayers are the ones will fund this orchestra so we should look at the benefits to this group of citizens first.

The main function of a Philharmonic Orchestra is to learn and perform European Classical Music. We should therefore ask ourselves, as citizens and taxpayers... “At what occasions would we need European classical music to be performed?” To answer this question, we should look at the music required for our national Festivals and Holidays.

·         New Years Day – Christmas and Carnival Music

·         Carnival – Calypso, Soca, Chutney, Rapso, Ragga

·         Easter – Christian Religious Music

·         Liberation Day – African Ceremonial and Religious Music

·         Arrival Day – East Indian Ceremonial and Religious Music

·         Labour Day – Street Procession Music

·         Emancipation Day – African/Trinidadian Ceremonial and Religious Music

·         Independence Day – Trinidad and Tobago Music

·         Republic Day – Trinidad and Tobago Music

·         Eid-ul-Fitr – Islamic Religious Music

·         Divali – Hindu Religious Music

·         Christmas – Carols, Parang, Soca, Calypso

European classical music is irrelevant to all of these events. There seems to be no apparent need for taxpayers to fund such an orchestra. Are we prepared to spend the necessary millions of Trinidad and Tobago dollars on an expensive project that can bring no lasting benefit to our country, our people and our economy?

Some Costs Involved

Let us now look at some costs involved in setting-up the Trinidad and Tobago National Philharmonic Orchestra. I anticipate that there will be a membership of 80 to 100 players.

Salaries and Pensions for:

  • Music Staff – 1 Director, 2 Assistant Directors, 50 Senior Musicians, 30 Junior Musicians, 20 Apprentices – 103 persons

  • Administrative Staff – 1 Administrative Manager, 1 Operations Manager, 1 Accountant, 2 Administrative Assistants, 2 Messenger/Drivers – 7 persons

Capital and Recurrent Expenses to include:

  • Venue – Rent or Purchase property: to house one hundred musicians for rehearsals; to house individual and ensemble practice rooms; to house the administrative staff/equipment;  storage facilities; recreational spaces;  garage and parking facilities.

  • Musical instruments and accessories to include a full range of brass, strings and percussion

  • Administrative equipment: offices; office furniture/equipment; stationary supplies; vehicles (instruments and players’ transportation)

  • Utilities bills: electricity; telephones; water

  • Uniforms for performances and daily attendances for 100 persons. 

These expenditures can run into millions of taxpayers’ dollars annually, and there is absolutely no hope of recovering any through paid performances, CD or DVD sales.

What We Have Now

We can now look at the conventional orchestra we have functioning in various government services. These orchestras already employ more than 200 musicians on a full-time basis and are all capable of performing European classical music.

  • Divine Echoes – Office of the Prime Minister

  • Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Band – Ministry of National Security

  • Trinidad and Tobago Police Band – Ministry of National Security

  • Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services Band – Ministry of national Security

  • Trinidad and Tobago Prisons Services Band – Ministry of National Security

  • Trinidad and Tobago Cadet Band – Ministry of National Security

This is a total of six fully or partially state-funded orchestras. There is also the National Youth Symphony Orchestra who has been functional for a number of years now. You may even want to add the National Steel Symphony Orchestra (NSSO) because their repertoire is ninety percent European classical music.

In answer to the first question...“What do we need a philharmonic orchestra to do?”  There seems to be no reason for such an orchestra. We already have more than six state-funded orchestras that can all perform European classical music.

Ideas and Thought Patterns

The other questions posed at the top were.... “Whose idea was this.....what were they thinking?”

When a matter like that reaches the stage of an advertisement in the newspapers inviting applicants, it indicates that the idea was already discussed, agreed upon and the first steps towards the formation taken. The Cabinet may have already approved this project.

The thinking behind the formation and funding this orchestra is not stated in the ad, so I can only look at some possible concepts that can trigger this type of thinking by our country’s Cabinet. Some of these ideas may be as follows:

  • European classical music is the highest form of performance music

  • Trinidad and Tobago can improve its international image by having a philharmonic orchestra to perform in foreign countries and for visiting dignitaries

  • We can penetrate the world market for philharmonic orchestras performing European classical music

  • Young musicians can aspire to joining the philharmonic orchestra

  • Create employment opportunities for nationals who can play conventional instruments

  • We have enough money in our treasury to fund such an orchestra

  • Taxpayers and citizens will embrace this philharmonic orchestra as their own

  • We can impress the Commonwealth Heads of Government who gather here for a meeting in November 2009

  • Elizabeth II will gave us rave reviews for the performances if she comes in November

If such a decision was taken by the Cabinet of colonial Trinidad and Tobago some fifty years ago, then I will understand that. In those days we were a British colony, we were all British subjects. Back then, art, music and culture were the exclusive domain of the colonial masters. In their warped view, which was influenced by racism and bigotry, their art, music and culture were considered ‘superior’ to that practiced and performed by the peoples of the then colony. It is as if our Cabinet is bent on spending millions of taxpayers’ dollars annually to perpetuate this oppressive and outrageously colonial view of Trinidad and Tobago’s music and culture.

It is therefore very difficult to perceive the thought patterns of our Cabinet members of the Independent Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, a country that has its own national anthem, a coat of arms, a flag, national colours and our very own national instrument... The Steelpan.

What About The Steelbands

Between 1952 and 2008, for almost two generations, Trinidad and Tobago steelbands have performed European classical music more than any other group of musicians on the twin-island. It is they, the steelbands, who have created and developed the taste for European classical music amongst the ordinary citizens and taxpayers of this country. How can we forget those memorable performances at Steelband Music Festivals or at the J’Ouvert Bomb competitions? We have mastered the great European composers of all the historical periods in their music. the Baroque Period, the Romantic Period, the Classical Era, the Contemporary Period, we have played and mastered them all...Handel, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, Verdi, Rossini, Stravinski, Wagner, Orff... you call it, we played it!!

In my view, it is the very same steelbands that can better utilize the funds at the disposal of the philharmonic orchestra. I have argued earlier that there seems to be no real or urgent need for such an orchestra in T&T. The honourable members of Cabinet should recognise that we are the masters of our own new instrument, the steelband, we are second to none...best in the world. Our Cabinet should also know that we will always be playing ‘second-fiddle’ to other philharmonic orchestras in the world. In Europe, for example, these orchestras have been in existence for more than five hundred (500) years.

I know and believe that we cannot and should not compete with the Vienna Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Boston Pops and others, for a space in their own market and own arena.  Promoters, impresarios and event co-ordinators will easily by-pass us and select these more established and traditional ones. In the case of the steel orchestras, it is the exact opposite. Trinidad and Tobago is number one, other countries run a distant second to us.

If I had any say to the members of our distinguished Cabinet, I will suggest the following:

Ø  Support community-based steel orchestras, bands need: sponsorship, security of tenure, panyard construction, recording studio facilities, air-play on radio and TV, reduction in the cost of instruments/accessories, venues for performances, opportunities to perform

Ø Invest some of the funds for the philharmonic orchestra in developing sustainable economic activities in steelband instrument production

Ø Invest some of the funds from the philharmonic orchestra in marketing and promoting Trinidad and Tobago steelbands and steelband products, all over the world

Ø Create a School of Music to prepare pan players for the local, regional and international markets as professional players, composers, arrangers, tutors and administrators

Ø Elizabeth II and the Commonwealth Heads of government will show you much more respect for promoting your own family of instruments... the Steel Orchestra.

Conclusion

My first question was... “What do we need a philharmonic orchestra to do?”  My answer is: ‘nothing.’  We do not need such an orchestra.  In relation to the second question, I still cannot say whose idea it was. What the taxpayers should demand is a justification for, and the objectives of, a philharmonic orchestra; they should try to find out why, in the view of the country’s Cabinet, we need such an orchestra. They should be asked to explain why taxpayers in the independent republic of Trinidad and Tobago should bank-roll such an orchestra which will be tantamount to a drain on a depleting national treasury.

The Cabinet should know too, that these types of orchestras are experiencing the worst financial crisis they have ever faced. Hundreds of these full-time musicians are being laid-off in Europe and the Americas. The market for this music is apparently shrinking. On the other hand, the steelband is spreading like wildfire across all the continents. It will make much more financial sense to invest in your own product, one that can create sustainable economic growth, generate employment and earn foreign exchange.  Remember... This is our music – our own expression.

Please note: I bear no grudges or ill-will against any possible or potential employee of the potential national philharmonic orchestra. For you, I have total respect as fellow musicians... I just think that our  national  priorities are up-sided-down... think it over!!

Leave or read comments by WST members   

by Nestor Sullivan, Manager
Pamberi Steel Orchestra
San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago

 


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