Web Posted - Tuesday April 15, 2025
Antigua Observer

Steelband Association boss gets ultimatum: Call elections, or else

Antigua & Barbuda, W.I. - Two prominent steel orchestras have issued an ultimatum to the Antigua and Barbuda Pan Association demanding elections be held before the end of April or face potential disruption to the 2025 Panorama competition.

Observer media [and When Steel Talks] was furnished with a copy of the missive signed by Keithley Athill Jr and Maurisha Potter — the captains of Hells Gate and Panache steel orchestras, respectively, which was addressed to the pan association President Patrick ‘Stone’ Johnson on April 11, citing multiple constitutional violations and governance failures dating back approximately six years.
read ultimatum

Web Posted - Sunday April 13, 2025
When Steel Talks

NIU (Northern Illinois University) Steel Band in concert

DeKalb, Illinois, USA - NIU (Northern Illinois University) Steel Band in concert - Liam Teague, director, NIU Steelband & Steelpan Studio; Yuko Asada, director CSA Steelband. K-Lee Blackwell & Jalen Charles, directors, University Steelband
see concert

Web Posted - Tuesday April 8, 2025
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Pan fraternity grieves for Mark Loquan

Mark Loquan

 Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The steelpan fraternity is mourning the loss of former NGC head and musician Mark Loquan, whose contribution to the development of the movement has been invaluable. Loquan passed away on April 6 after a fight with cancer.

....Photographer Maria Nunes, who worked with Loquan on the film projects Woman in Pan and Panyard Universe, said witnessing what Loquan went through in the past year after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most severe type of brain cancer will forever stay with her.

....“Mark’s contribution to the world of steelpan is enormous. His actions were consequential in ways that will impact for generations. He was a man of clear-eyed vision and unwavering commitment to do whatever he possibly could to build A Better Tomorrow for TT through the steelpan. He saw the endless possibilities of our beloved national instrument and over the last 25 years he enjoined numerous people here at home, and internationally, to work with him to realise his rock solid vision of where we should be headed.
read more

Web Posted - Sunday April 6, 2025
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Mark Loquan remembered as ‘a true patriot’

Former president of the National Gas Company of TT Mark Loquan, right, and Prof Patrick Hosein display their Order of the Republic of TT (ORTT) medals at President’s House, St Ann’s, on September 24, 2024

 Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Former National Gas Company president and composer of steelpan music Mark Loquan is being remembered as a true patriot.

Loquan, 63, died on April 6, fourteen months after he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

In a statement posted to Facebook, President Christine Kangaloo extended condolences to Loquan’s friends and family.

Kangaloo said, “A true patriot, his selfless dedication to the development of our nation’s energy sector and culture, particularly in the realm of steelpan, has left an indelible mark on our country.”

....He was honoured for his contributions to national service, particularly in energy and steelpan innovation, and accepted the award while seated in a wheelchair.

....More than 30 of his compositions have been performed by winning bands in the Pan is Beautiful competition, small and medium bands in the National Panorama, and primary and secondary school bands in the Junior Panorama.

He was also a co-founder of the Music Literacy Trust, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2004, which has provided music scholarships for young panists, and introduced music education programmes for youth.

During his career he also spread the sound of the national instrument abroad, having served as the musical director of Perth Pandemix, an Australia-based steelband.
read more

Web Posted - Friday April 4, 2025
Clemson News

CU Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band collaborates with DuBose MS and Summerville HS for April 18 concert

Clemson University Steel Band

 Clemson, South Carolina, USA - Clemson University’s Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band will collaborate with South Carolina middle and high schools for a joint concert on April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts.

The collaboration began when DuBose Steel Band director Mike Greer suggested the idea to Clemson Professor of Music and Director of Percussion, Paul Buyer. The pair quickly looped in John Willmarth, Director of Steel Bands at Summerville, as DuBose students feed into Summervile for high school.

. . . . The first half of the concert will feature the Clemson Percussion Ensemble and the second half will feature the Clemson, Summerville and DuBose Steel Bands. Each band will perform on its own, with Clemson joining Summerville and DuBose for a piece each.
read more

Web Posted - Friday March 28, 2025
When Steel Talks

United States Steel Band Association (USSA) - A New Beginning

Members of the USSA Executive Board

Brooklyn, New York, USA - The United States Steelband Association (USSA) held its first general meeting on Thursday February 13, 2025 with band representatives and interested parities present in-house. The venue was P.S. 161 in Brooklyn.

....It was the opportunity to meet some members of the newly-elected board.
read more

Web Posted - March 2025
When Steel Talks

Panorama 2025 Results - Exodus Steel Orchestra and Arranger Terrance “BJ” Marcelle are Champions, Jubilant in 2025 - Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - They led all the way from the preliminaries, through the semi-finals and took home the championship title after final night competition. Exodus Steel Orchestra and arranger Terrance “BJ” Marcelle are champions in the large steel orchestra category of the 2025 Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama. Saturday March 1 into March 2 will forever hold treasured memories for this musical collaboration which ended a title drought for one, and delivered the first for the other.
see results

Web Posted
When Steel Talks

2025 Trinidad and Tobago National Steelband Panorama Info - Complete

Global - PanOnTheNet/ WhenSteelTalks is Panorama Central! Complete information on the 2025 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

When Steel Talks

Facebook got it wrong - Meta World and WST & SteelPan Are Friends Again

Facebook “Likes” sends PanOnTheNet Apology - “We got it wrong”

Metaverse - Facebook got it wrong. About three years ago without warning or reason all WST (When Steel Talks) steelpan-related accounts fell out of favor with the social media giant Facebook now known as Meta and its aligned consortiums (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp). Because WST has all of our material hosted on our own shared servers, this ‘tag’ was not incurable or as problematic as it could have been. However, it was annoying to have people seeking critical steelpan music info diverted by Facebook AI (artificial intelligence).
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Technology Giant “Google” Celebrates the steelpan instrument via Google Doodle

Celebrating Steelpan - Illustration by artist Nicholas Huggins

Doodle of steelpan instrument ‘live’ on Google’s web site

Global - On Tuesday July 26, 2022 the steelpan instrument of Trinidad and Tobago is featured and celebrated on the site of technology giant “Google” via the famed Google ‘Doodle.’ The ‘Doodle’ is essentially an illustrative change made to the Google corporate logo “to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists” - and more. The doodle is then seen by users all around the world who access Google’s homepage on that day, and is available thereafter in the doodle archives.

....Trinidad and Tobago-based artist Nicholas Huggins is the creator of the illustrative artwork featured in the doodle, while Etienne Charles is the composer of the accompanying music performed by the legendary steelpan icon Len “Boogsie” Sharpe.
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