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