When Steel Talks

Trinidad and Tobago 2020 Panorama and Carnival Schedule of Events

Global - Trinidad and Tobago Panorama and Carnival Schedule of Events.  Info on the activities for the 2020 steelband music season.
see more


When Steel Talks

2020 Trinidad and Tobago National Steelband Panorama Info - Complete

Global - PanOnTheNet/ WhenSteelTalks is Panorama Central! Complete information on the 2020 season of the Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama, and competitions:  Schedules, Orders of Appearance for preliminary, semi-final and final phases for large, medium and small conventional steel orchestras, and single pan bands; arrangers’ bios, bios of steel orchestras; full results, panyard addresses, history of previous Panoramas, and much more!
see complete information index


Web Posted - Friday November 29, 2019
Searchlight

XS Steel Turns One

Minister of Education Anthony Garcia (right), gives Northeastern Sangre Grande Government ECCE administrator Zobida Ali-Mannan (left), a steelpan as part of the Music Education Expansion Initiative project. The event was held at the Arima New Government Primary School, Tumpuna Road South, Arima, Wednesday.

St. Vincent & the Grenadines, W.I. - This country’s newest steel pan organisation, XS Steel Incorporated, celebrated its first anniversary on Wednesday November 27 with an active steel orchestra that has begun to contribute to the entertainment landscape in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The organisation was launched last November under the chairmanship of Cecil Ryan, and with Marla Nanton-James as the Music Director. It is supported by a complete management team of seven persons, also including Arlene Regisford-Sam (Treasurer), Jennifer Richardson (PRO), Jennifer Browne (Secretary), Kent Cain (Logistics Officer) and Kevon Guy (Players’ Representative).

XS Steel currently operates from the Argyle Primary School and is heavily involved in teaching students from the school the rudiments of music and the art of playing the steel pan.
read more


Web Posted - Wednesday November 27, 2019
The Observer

Calypso band gives Caribbean flair to holiday concert

Students who are part of the Elgin High School Calypso band prepare Tuesday during class for The Observer's upcoming Holiday Music Festival at Eastern Oregon University.

Oregon, USA - The sounds of Trinidad and Tobago can be heard in the Elgin High School’s music room as the Calypso band prepares for its winter concert. As special guests at the Observer’s 28th Annual Holiday Music Festival the first weekend in December, the EHS students will show off their talents on the steel drums.

The band began two years ago when the music teacher for Elgin’s third- through 12th-grade students, Tucker Murphey, founded a group of youth interested in that style of percussion. What started with grade school classroom instruments and a small xylophone is now a full steel drum ensemble with various sizes of steelpans and drums to create the sounds of the Caribbean. The school district invested about $28,000 to purchase the collection of instruments last year.

“(The district) could see the progress of the program and what we were doing without the instruments,” Murphey said. “They were excited to have something unique that no other school district has, and the school board had faith in me.”
read more


Web Posted - Wednesday November 27, 2019
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Education Ministry gives pans to ECCE centres

Arima New Government students Aiyana-Marie Jadoonanan and Samuel Berot, got musical with a steelpan at the Music Education Expansion Initiative project ceremony on Wednesday at the Arima New Government Primary School, Tumpuna Road South, Arima

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Preschoolers throughout TT now have the chance to become involved in music after several Early Childhood Care and Education centres received two tenor pans each from the Ministry of Education.

At the launch of the Multicultural Music Programme Unit hosted at the Arima New Government Primary School on Wednesday, Education Minister Anthony Garcia said the ministry was working to have steelpan in every ECCE centre, primary and secondary school. He said the programme would also be tailored to attract and help those with learning disabilities through music.

He said the ministry was working to establish a template to help with special education and he was happy that steelpan was a part of that template.
read more


Web Posted - Wednesday November 27, 2019
When Steel Talks

New Zealand Experiences Steelband Love Through The Passion Of Marion Titmuss

New Zealand - What is a white, middle class, classically-trained flautist doing trying to get Pans going in New Zealand schools and how did she get the first University in Australasia to agree to Pans being introduced?

In 2011 following the earthquake in Christchurch my family emigrated to New Zealand and I brought with me all the Pans I had amassed over 25 years of teaching Pan in the UK. I felt that these pans had been entrusted to do good with as I had a rollercoaster of fun since being introduced to the sweet magic of steel by the bands in London UK.

....I realised that it was going to be quite a struggle to get Pan in education established, there are few if any Kiwis who know what a steelpan is!
read more


Web Posted - Wednesday November 27, 2019
LoopTT

MoE to hire 120 music instructors for Pan in All Schools project

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Education Minister Anthony Garcia is hopeful that some of the negative feelings students experience which contribute to their disruptive behaviour, will be eliminated through steelpan music.

Garcia expressed this as he delivered the feature address at the launch of the Ministry's Music Education Expansion Initiative - Pan in All Schools Project - at the Arima New Government Primary School on Wednesday.

....“Very few of us recognize that among our students, there are so many things that affect them and loneliness is one that has been brought full-scale to the front burner. We are hoping again through this music programme in our schools and in particular, through the pan, that we are going to eradicate some of these negative feelings. My pledge is that in every school in Trinidad and Tobago beginning at the ECC Centre right on to our tertiary education system, there is the presence of our national instrument; there is the presence of our steel pan.”
read more



Web Posted - Monday November 25, 2019
When Steel Talks

George “Nugget” Joseph - Patriarch of Antigua and Barbuda’s Steelband Movement

by Jessy J. Stafford Joseph (Panthologist)

Antigua & Barbuda, W.I. - George “Nugget” Joseph, a centurion, is the patriarch of the Antigua and Barbuda steel pan movement. 

“Nugget,” as he was popularly known and referred to, is a pioneer of the steel pan movement of Antigua and Barbuda and a founding member of the Hells Gate Steel Orchestra (HGSO) (the world’s oldest steel orchestra), whose birthplace and home is in “The Point.” Hells Gate Steel Band began as an organized ‘Iron Band’ in 1945 and the steelpan was introduced in 1946.

....“Nugget,” in addition to his functions as Captain and Secretary/Treasurer, took on the responsibility of responding to all negative press, that was published in the Antigua Star News Paper. He responded via the Antigua Star and the Workers’ Voice Newspapers. Also, he did not own or had the luxury of a typewriter. Hence, his responses were all hand written where ever he could access light at nights. His discreet and effective responses brought about a change of attitude from the naysayers. In fact, many came to appreciate the steel pan artform and volunteered to assist the steel bands in the various communities.

....“Nugget’s” single-handed literary battle with the early critics of the steelpan movement, resulted in respect gained, the acceptance of the art form and the involvement of people of all walks of life in the steelpan movement, today.
read more


Web Posted - Sunday November 24, 2019
When Steel Talks

Antigua and Barbuda panists with Khan Cordice on cultural exchange in Japan - Steelpan the musical focus

Japan - A small delegation from Antigua & Barbuda is presently visiting Japan at the invitation of officials in Kagoshima prefecture, in the southerly Amami Islands of the country. Among those participating are pan musicians led by internationally-renowned steelband arranger and performer Khan Cordice, for years the resident champion arranger for Hells Gate Steel Orchestra. Two young people accompanying Cordice are Jahfari Hazelwood and Samanya Brazier. “They are just great panists and model students and members of the community,” says Cordice.
read more


Web Posted - Sunday November 24, 2019
When Steel Talks

Single Pan Bands - 2019-2020 Finals Results - Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - For the second time in 2019, in just over nine months, Trinidad and Tobago hosted a national Single Pan band finals competition. And while the defending champions, San Juan East Side Symphony did maintain their standing, they now share the title in this go-round, as there was a tie in the final tally in the scores of 284 points. Marsicans Steel Orchestra are now co-champions in what is, technically, the 2019-2020 Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama Single Pan band competition organized by Pan Trinbago.

Arrangers Carlon “Panman” Harewood and Marlon White took their respective bands to the top.  And of definite interest, is the fact that these two have been here in this position, “tied,” before!
read more, click for full results


Web Posted - Wednesday November 20, 2019
When Steel Talks

Single Pan Bands - Order of Appearance - FINALS 2019-2020 - Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The appearance order for competitors in the National Panorama 2019-2020 Single Pan Band finals is now known. The draw of numbers for playing positions in the Saturday November 23 finals was held at the Calypso Suite at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain on November 20. The latter is also the venue for the finals this weekend, which are slated for a 6:00 p.m. start.

Twenty-one bands out of thirty-one made the cut in the Semi-finals event which was held three days earlier on November 17.

....For the record, this will be the second “national” single pan band competition this year, 2019, as changes made to the competition dates are put into practice by Pan Trinbago. The regular Single Pan Band Panorama competition was already held within that traditional Carnival/Panorama season.
read more, see order of appearance


Web Posted - Wednesday November 20, 2019
The Virgin Islands Source

Senate OKs Sub Base Leases for Music Makers and Cement Producer

The committee Tuesday morning voted to approve government leases to Panyard People and Universal Concrete. Both government properties are in Sub Base, St. Thomas

St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. - Members of the Senate Committee on Finance want the music to continue to play and the cement to be poured.

.....Vincent Richards, deputy commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement, recommended the approval of both contracts.

Panyard People is a nonprofit organization that trains residents in the art of steel pan.

.....The lease is for 10 years and provides for two, five-year renewal options with annual rent $1,200.

....Sen. Janelle Sarauw, alumni of Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra, said she was excited to be able to approve of the move to expand steel pan training in the territory.
read more


Web Posted - Tuesday November 19, 2019
The Battalion

A&M steel pan ensemble Maroon Steel performs around B-CS

Maroon Steel, Texas A&M’s Steelpan Ensemble

Texas, USA - Maroon Steel is a steel pan ensemble club that started at Texas A&M in 2013 with the purpose of getting together to play and spread the drum music associated with the Caribbean islands.

With the club being very united, Maroon Steel president and ocean engineering sophomore Jack Bahmer said “it makes things easier” for him.

“It is a ton of fun because I came in with a little experience on steel pan,” Bahmer said. “A big thing with steel pan is the group atmosphere. Everyone there is really good friends, and it's just a good time playing really fun music.”

With what originated as a music class, Maroon Steel vice president and performance studies grad student Josh Muetzel said Maroon Steel has grown into a student organization where students can join, be a part of something and find a sense of family.

....“As a composer and musician, I am looking to get more experience directing ensembles and writing for steel bands before I graduate,” Muetzel said.
read more


Web Posted - Monday November 18, 2019
When Steel Talks

Single Pan Bands - Semi-finals Results 2019-2020 - Trinidad & Tobago Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Results for the Single Pan 2019-2020 semi-finals are in. The competition was held on Sunday November 17 at the Arima Basketball Court in Arima. Thirty-one bands took part, and twenty-one made the cut to the finals carded for Saturday November 23 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
click for full results



Web Posted - Sunday November 17, 2019
Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

Audit of steelband body exposes glaring noncompliance - Part 2

Missing invoices, no formal contracts

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Close to $4 million was paid out by Pan Trinbago to FCL Financial Ltd and its CEO Daniel Lambert over a three-year period with barely any paper trail found by auditors to justify these mammoth payments or any semblance of a formal agreement.

An audit report by Ernst and Young raised further questions over Pan Trinbago’s handling of its finances under the former president Keith Diaz (pictured) and other Central Executive Committee (CEC) members between the period 2013-2016.

....What Ernst and Young found was over the 2012-2013 period, Pan Trinbago entered into six management consultancy contracts with FCL—but from the table they drew up, they were only able to locate formal CEC approval for two of the six contracts.
read more


Web Posted - Sunday November 17, 2019
When Steel Talks

Live Stream - Fall 2019 NIU Steelband concert

Tribute to Al O’Connor

Fall 2019 Steelband Concert at NIU (Northern Illinois University)

DeKalb, Illinois, USA - Today, Sunday, November 17th at 3:00 p.m. CST, there is a wonderful NIU Steelband Concert at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall!  What makes Sunday’s performance so special is that it’s dedicated to the memory of G. Allan O’Connor, who is responsible for originating the world famous NIU Steel Band.  The university has been extremely fortunate to have had Al as an instructor, musician, mentor, and friend at the NIU School of Music!
see archived stream


Web Posted - Saturday November 16, 2019
Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

Audit of steelband body exposes glaring noncompliance - Part 1

Lack of transparency - Pan in Pain

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Financial mismanagement, an abysmal financial performance, misappropriation of funds, financial irregularities, and glaring non-compliance were uncovered in an Ernst and Young (EY) audit report conducted by Ernst and Young (EY) on Pan Trinbago’s operations over five years.

The “private and confidential” report was handed over to the Ministry of Community Development and the Arts in April 2018 and has been hidden in plain sight on the Parliament website for almost a year. It came up for discussion at Pan Trinbago’s Annual General Meeting on November 3 but according to several members, but was shot down by president Beverley Ramsey-Moore.  However, she has denied that claim.

The audit paints a gloomy picture about Pan Trinbago’s financial activities during the five years, while external auditors Panel Kerr Foster (PKF) said there was “significant doubt on the association’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

The timeframe covered in the EY report was 2013 to 2017 during the tenure of former president Keith Diaz.
read more


Web Posted - Saturday November 16, 2019
Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

Ramsey-Moore:  They left us in a bad situation

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - President of Pan Trinbago Beverley Ramsey-Moore said it is the government that commissioned the audit on the steelband body and they should go after those who left the association in financial ruin.

Pan Trinbago did not commission the audit it was the Ministry of Community Development and the Arts and I would be really happy if they went after them. They left us in a bad situation,” she told the Sunday Guardian in a telephone interview.

Ramsey-Moore, who spoke candidly about the audit on Pan Trinbago by Ernst and Young (EY) which was laid in Parliament in April last year, denied claims that she wanted to “bury the report” and move on.
read more


Web Posted - Friday November 15, 2019
When Steel Talks

To Hell and Back to Pan

Veterans Day Embraces 2 Trinis who served in Vietnam and elsewhere

Dalton Narine with Catelli Trinidad All Stars on Carnival Tuesday on the way to the Savannah

Global - ....Veterans Day is officially observed on November 11.  So, it’s the memory of the Vietnam War and how Gerry and I both fought it as soldiers of the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One).

....It has been 50 years, and only now we reminisce about our experiences. We can jumpstart and even further improve our goal to satisfy readers’ interest in what we have to say about our sprawling commentary on Pan in the early period of the Behind the Bridge story of our experiences prior to our migration to the United States.

....For me, the war will never be in remission. It’s an indelible tattoo on my mind. I spent eight days in a hospital upon my return home from the war.

....They had me recuperating at the US Naval Base in Chaguaramas. There, I was fed more Thorazine. 

The Brass gave me a break and I stumbled through Port of Spain, where I reconnected with Neville Jules and Leon “Smooth” Edwards at the Henry Street panyard.

They saved my ass. Jules thought I was a vagrant.  You drunk? No.  Looks like you on drugs?  Ain’t no dope I ever smoked, you know that, CAP.  Never smoked.  Thorazine, courtesy of the Military Base.
read more


Web Posted - Thursday November 14, 2019
When Steel Talks

Single Pan Bands - Order of Appearance - Semi-finals 2019-2020 - Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The sounds of steel will resonate at the Basketball Court, Arima, on Sunday November 17, 2019, as thirty-one Single Pan Bands vie for positions in the finals carded for one week later at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.

....Defending champions, San Juan East Side Symphony, emerged with the highest score of 266 points for their rendition of the Aldwyn Roberts’ composition “Guitar Pan” arranged by Carlon Harewood.

....Interestingly, there is a father-daughter duo challenging each other in this Single Pan semi-final arena. Veteran arranger Cary Codrington is taking Metro Stars in front the judges at position five, immediately after Gonzales Sheikers with his daughter Keisha Codrington having arranged “Fantastic Friday” for the band, would have taken the stage. Definitely back-to-back performances to look out for.
read more


Web Posted - Thursday November 14, 2019
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Junior Phase II band launched

HADCO Phase II Pan Groove Junior Steel Orchestra with principals Akua Leith from front right, Andrew Charles, Desiree Myers, Len”Boogsie” Sharpe and Terry Bernard

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - On November 9 the HADCO Phase II Pan Groove launched its first junior steelband:  HADCO Phase II Pan Groove Junior Steel Orchestra. The event took place at the Phase II panyard, Hamilton Street, Woodbrook.

In attendance were Phase II’s musical director, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, manager Akua Leith, captain Terry Bernard, chairman of Pan Trinbago Northern Regional Executive Desiree Meyers, HADCO liaison Danielle Espinet and guests, parents, well-wishers and children from the orchestra.

The young musicians’ ages range between four and 20.
read more


Web Posted - Wednesday November 13, 2019
When Steel Talks

Single Pan Bands - Preliminaries Results 2019-2020 - Trinidad & Tobago Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The Single Pan 2019-2020 preliminaries were held during the period November 4 to 12, 2019. Now complete, the top thirty-one bands move on to the National Single Pan Semi-Finals on Sunday November 17 at the Arima Basketball Court, Arima from 4.00 p.m.
click for full results


Web Posted - Tuesday November 12, 2019
When Steel Talks

Ray Allen presents a “Jump Up!” talk at Brooklyn College

Garvin Blake, Frankie McIntosh and Winston Wellington join discussion

Ray Allen, Frankie McIntosh, Garvin Blake and Winston Wellington

Brooklyn, New York, USA - ....Anytime you can get to hear panist Garvin Blake or pianist Frankie McIntosh ‘live’ you’re in for a treat. If you can get to hear both of them together - well, you are in a special place, as were the attendees to the presentation on the book “Jump Up!” by Professor Ray Allen. The recently-released book focuses on the life of Caribbean carnival music in New York City.

About five or six years ago Allen, who fell in love with the music of carnival in Brooklyn, realized that there was not a book that adequately addressed Brooklyn Carnival and its music - and there lies the impetus for writing the book.
read more, see performances


Web Posted - Tuesday November 12, 2019
When Steel Talks

Panorama 2020 logo

Vanessa Headley named 2020 Panorama arranger of La Brea Nightingales Steel Orchestra - large band category

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Vanessa Headley has been named the 2020 Panorama arranger for La Brea Nightingales Steel Orchestra - large band category. In addition, Vanessa will be the arranger for Trinidad Valley Harps Steel Orchestra medium band category and Golden Hands small band category. 

Very few women have arranged for large steel orchestras in the Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama.
read more


Web Posted - Monday November 11, 2019
When Steel Talks

Panorama logo

Single Pan 2019-2020 Preliminary Performances

San Juan East Side

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Enjoy the performances of a few of the Single Pan bands as they competed at the preliminary stage of the 2019-2020 Panorama competition. Featured are San Juan East Side, Pan Elites, Nu Pioneers Pan Groove and Arima All Stars. 
click for video


Web Posted - Tuesday November 5, 2019
Jamaica Observer

CDB issues US$350K grant to regional cultural projects

Bridgetown, Barbados, W.I. - The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved US$350,000 for four projects that are geared at increasing cultural collaboration and improving the enabling environment for culture and the creative arts in the region.

The funding came under the Enabling Environment grant stream of the Bank’s Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF).

The Enabling Environment Grant finances interventions to support projects and programmes that focus on improving the business climate for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the cultural industries.

....Five educational institutions – the University of Trinidad and Tobago, George Mason University, Barbados Community College, University of London and the Carnival Institute of Trinidad and Tobago – will be working together to deliver the Pan Fellowship Programme, another recipient of an Enabling Environment Grant.

The programme will see a curriculum being developed for 12-month undergraduate and two-year certificate programmes that focus on cultural context as a key consideration in both performance and instruction of the steel pan.

The programme received a grant of US$90,000.

Another grant recipient is a multi-country carnival development initiative from Export Saint Lucia and is entitled ‘Branding and Commercialisation of Carnival in Saint Lucia, Dominica and Grenada’.  
read more


Web Posted - Monday November 4, 2019
The Daily Orange

Steel-panist Victor Provost to visit Syracuse for master class, performance

Syracuse, New York, USA - ....[Victor] Provost, a renowned steel panist, has played across the globe, and teaches classes in world music at George Mason University.

The musician will visit Syracuse from Nov. 7 to 10 to teach a steel drums master class and a perform with the Insomniac Wookies at La Casita Cultural Center.

....At the master class on Thursday, Provost said he hopes to teach and refine SU student’s playing ability on the steel pan. Basile Touratier, a French exchange music student at SU playing the steelpan, tries to attend every master class he possibly can.

....Provost said that he tries to incorporate his own life experience into his master classes and how to survive as a musician. He also said that he tries to have the student be on the instrument as much as possible to keep them motivated and continue practicing.

The steel panist will also be playing with multiple ensembles at SU [Syracuse University] during his time here, including the steel drum ensembles. 
read more


WST Tees!
Get your “When Steel Talks - Everybody Listens!” T-Shirt now!