London, England - The year 2011 has been designated the Year of the Steelpan in London, England, and in commemoration of two (2) historic events, several activities have been planned to mark the auspicious occasion.
TASPO at the Festival of Britain 1951
The Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) appeared at the Festival of Britain on the South Bank on July 26th 1951. Ten years later, in May 1961, the Dixieland Steel Orchestra came to the United Kingdom
(UK), having won the National Steel Band Festival of Trinidad
& Tobago.
TASPO was the first national steelband to visit and perform in the United Kingdom. Dixieland Steel Orchestra
was the second band to visit the UK, and the first to perform in Africa.
Highlight of the activities planned, is a reception at the offices of the Trinidad
& Tobago High Commission in celebration of TASPO’s Diamond Jubilee and Dixieland’s Golden Jubilee, which will be attended by Keith Diaz, President
of Pan Trinbago.
At the function, special awards honoring the heroes and legends who have pioneered and inspired the World Steelband Movement, and contributed to the introduction and development of the steel orchestra in the United Kingdom, will be presented to members of both entities.
Recipients include Sterling Betancourt, Miguel Barradas, Trevor Cumberbatch, Alfred Toussaint, Lennox Totesaut, Lennox Langton, Russell Valdez, Michael “Natsi” Contant, Angela Christopher and Sonny Blacks.
The program is being organized by the Commonwealth Arts and Cultural Foundation with support from the High Commission of Trinidad
& Tobago and under the artistic direction of Sonny Blacks, Trinidad-born impresario.
Last month, a similar exercise was organized in Trinidad to Dixieland’s “five locally based survivors” of the trip to the United Kingdom and Africa fifty years ago i.e. George Ng Wai, Curtis Pierre, Hady Lee, Billy Carpenter and Mervyn Telfer.
