Gros Islet, St. Lucia, W.I. - There is the old adage that is adhered to and routinely put in practice by all elite Panorama performing steel orchestras all over the world - “Take the judging out of the judges’ hands.” In other words - drop such an overwhelming and commanding performance that the only thing in doubt is who is coming in second and/or third. Halfway through their performance, PanTime Steel Orchestra made it very clear there would not be any contest for first place on this warm July night in St. Lucia. Whether you heard the performance live in the stadium, on the radio or via the internet the opinion would be the same. PanTime’s rendition of Dream Big as arranged by Amrit Samaroo was awesome. There was never a lull in the performance. It kept building from the opening count to the end, with a small reprieve within the arrangement that drew on a small adaptation of the ‘Impossible Dream,’ to drive the storytelling aspect home. With the final note the crowd roared and erupted into spontaneous applause. There was no doubt about the outcome.
Audio of PanTime Steel Orchestra’s winning performance of “Dream Big” for the 2014 St. Lucia National Steelband Panorama on July 18
Founded in 2001, it would be thirteen years before PanTime would cop their first championship back in 2013, after having to make do with second place for several years. Inclusive of the 2014 title, PanTime also took home their prize trophy and the sum of EC $40,000.00 (USD $14,815.00 at current exchange rates). This is up EC $7,500.00 from last year’s first prize of EC $32,500.00.
Also on the increase by EC $1,000.00 to EC $20,000.00 (USD $7,407.00), was the prize purse for the 2014 winners in the small steel orchestra category, in this case, Harmonites. With their triumph last evening, Harmonites have now won this grouping four times in a row - ever since the introduction of “categories” in 2011. Word is that Harmonites is eyeing the big band category for 2015. The organization is a breakaway contingent from Babonneau Steel Orchestra and hail from the same area. Harmonites first entered Panorama in 2008, before the division of the competition into small and large categories. Fifteen to thirty-four players were allowed in the small steel orchestra category, while in the large section, between thirty-five and eighty could be fielded.
Panorama began at 9:00 p.m. with the playing of the national anthem of St. Lucia by panist Jessie Nurse; music lovers had still been locked outside the venue at 8:30 p.m., despite the 8:00 o’clock advertised start time. The Panorama competition has been held at Beausejour Cricket Grounds in Gros Islet (viewed by sport connoisseurs as one of the finest cricket grounds in the world), since 2007.
The small steel orchestra category opened with Pantastic Muzik taking the stage and sounding off with Juicy Lucy at 9:15 p.m., their first-ever appearance in Panorama competition. Krystal Nestor, the only female arranger in the competition, was also the leader of the band.
It was also the first Panorama for band number two, Laborie Steel Orchestra, which played Freedom, arranged by 17-year-old Andrius Edwide, the youngest arranger of the night. By 10:04 p.m. it was the turn of band number three, St. Lucy’s Steel Orchestra, as they too vied for the title in the small category. They played an Oran Dornelly-arrangement of Tin Dook.
Defending small steel orchestra champs and eventual winners Harmonites Steel Orchestra were up next, delivering Out & Bad as arranged by Cheo Cato out of Trinidad. Fifth and final competitor in this section was Survivor Steel Orchestra playing St. Lucia We Love arranged by Shayin Flavius.
Leading off in the large band category by 11:48 p.m. was the sonically refined Babonneau Steel Orchestra with a machine-like precision and well-executed performance of Panorama T20, composed and arranged by Alison Marquis (click for audio). Babonneau were Panorama champions in 2011 and 2012, and had looked forward to re-capturing the title this year, but were relegated to second place.
Anba Goj was the tune of choice, and Manasa Edward the arranger for Pan Ambassadors which followed Babonneau. Pan Ambassadors competed in the small band category last year but moved up in 2014, and went on to place third overall.
Taking the stage in fourth position at 1:23 a.m. after title defenders PanTime, Emerald Steel Orchestra rounded out performances in the 2014 Panorama with Guy Innocent returning as arranger. In their quest for the title and in keeping with the spirit of the season, Emerald Steel declared Everyday Should Be Carnival with their tune of choice.
Judges for the St. Lucia 2014 Panorama were Damion Phillips, Gregory Piper, Emerson Nurse, Gordon ‘Gene’ Leon and Reynold Huggins. In adjudicating the bands in both categories, they applied specific criteria to come up with a possible maximum total of one hundred. Arrangement (40) comprised Introduction, Re-harmonization, Melodic development and Motif development - each 10 points. Within General Performance (35), under consideration were Interpretation, Dynamics and Balance – each 10 points, while Creativity accounted for the remaining 5.
The blending of the steelpan instruments termed Tone carried 10 points at most, while Rhythm criteria (10) - made up of Consistency and Application of rhythm section were 5 points each. Finally, how bands looked and related to their music also mattered from the Presentation perspective. Here 5 points were up for grabs - in Dress - 2.5, and Carnival Spirit, 2.5.
The competition was thought by some to be incomplete with the absence of two veteran steel orchestras in the Panorama arena. Diamond Steel, the band with the most Panorama championships (seven) to date in St. Lucia, and the only orchestra to manage a three-peat championship (2000-2002) - did not participate in the national Panorama. Diamond Steel also sat out last year’s competition. Also missing in musical action was another St. Lucia staple, North Stars Steel Orchestra. They were next in line behind Diamond Steel in terms of championships; they had placed third in 2013.
Results for the 2014 Panorama were announced at 2:00 a.m.
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2014 Panorama Results - St. Lucia |
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| Results / Points | Order of Appearance | LARGE Bands | Prizes (XCD) |
Selections |
Arrangers |
| 1st / 429 |
No. 3 | PanTime Steel Orchestra | $40,000 | Dream Big | |
| 2nd / 420 |
No. 1 | Babonneau Steel Orchestra | $35,000 | Panorama T20 |
|
| 3rd / 338 |
No. 2 | Pan Ambassadors | $25,000 | Anba Goj |
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| 4th | No. 4 | Emerald Steel Orchestra | $15,000 | Everyday Should Be Carnival |
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| Results / Points | Order of Appearance | SMALL Bands | Prizes (XCD) |
Selections | Arrangers |
| 1st / 395 |
No. 4 | Harmonites Steel Orchestra | $20,000 | Out & Bad | |
| 2nd / 369 |
No. 1 | Pantastic Muzik | $15,000 | Juicy Lucy |
|
| 3rd / 338 |
No. 3 | St. Lucy’s Steel Orchestra | $10,000 | Tin Dook |
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| No. 5 | Survivor Steel Orchestra | $5,000 | St. Lucia We Love |
Shayin Flavius |
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| No. 2 | Laborie Steel Orchestra | $5,000 | Freedom |
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