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Barbados,
W.I.
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Last month
‘Tomas,’
with both
hurricane
and tropical
storm force
winds, tore
through the
Caribbean,
leaving
several
islands with
millions of
dollars’
worth in
damage.
Businesses
and
homeowners
alike were
hard-hit in
many areas.
In the case
of Barbados,
they bore
the brunt of
winds which
ratcheted up
to 65 mph
for the
better part
of October
30th.
In its wake,
the
hurricane
left
uprooted
trees, torn
down power
lines,
numerous
ripped off
roofs and
flooded
areas around
the island.
Barbados’
Mosaic Steel
Orchestra’s
panyard in
Waterford,
St. Michael, was
not spared
by the storm
system. Pan
musicians
from the
steel
orchestra
turned up at
the yard the
following
day, to be
confronted
with the
grim sight
of
instruments
drenched in
water and
80% percent
of the panyard’s
roofing
ripped off,
leaving the
main
practicing
area exposed
to the
elements.
Lighting
fixtures
were also
damaged.
Mosaic’s
mission
statement
calls for
providing “a
total
musical
experience
for
individuals
and
communities
across
Barbados,
the region
and
worldwide
through
demonstrations
of the
highest
standards of
panmanship
and
discipline.”
And it was
the
“discipline”
component
that kicked
into high
gear as the
pan players
set to work
with great
effort to
clean up the
yard,
enabling the
orchestra to
resume its
pan classes
and practice
sessions the
following
Saturday,
under what
was left of
the roofing.
Not to be
hindered by
the
post-Tomas
conditions,
pan players
were also
able to
successfully
prepare for
the
orchestra’s
next
scheduled
outing which
took place
through the
streets of
the
country’s
capital,
Bridgetown,
for the
Courts
Barbados
Ltd. 45th
anniversary
celebrations.
To
facilitate
the practice
sessions
that would
result in
delivery of
that “total
musical
experience,”
temporary
lighting
fixtures had
been hung
from the
frame of the
roofing and
players made
the most of
the small
covered
area. But
what exactly
is Mosaic
Steel
Orchestra?
Who are the
people at
the heart of
this
undaunted
music
organization
which made
determined
efforts to
be back on
its feet and
‘get back in
the saddle’
so soon?
Mosaic Steel
Orchestra
chose its
name “to
reflect the
kaleidoscope
of genres of
music that
are so aptly
arranged and
beautifully
performed by
members.”
Since
its
establishment
Mosaic has
recruited
some of the
most
talented
young steel
pan players
in Barbados.
These
musicians
span
secondary
and tertiary
level
institutions
and are
complemented
by adults
who are
working
professionals,
resulting in
a familial
association.
As an
organization,
Mosaic Steel
Orchestra
makes it
clear that
it is not
‘just
another
steel band,’
but in fact
a solid
enterprise
with set
goals and
objectives.
These
include
fostering
and
developing
well-rounded
and
versatile
musicians,
aiding in
the
development
of the
individuals,
as well as
facilitating
the
education of
the wider
public about
the steelpan
art form
through
sterling
performances,
a variety of
educational
workshops
and
community
outreach
programs.
Mosaic Steel Orchestra performs during Pan Pun de Sand 2010
Under the
musical
directorship
of David ‘Ziggy’
Walcott, an
extremely
talented and
gifted
arranger and
musician,
this
orchestra
provides
high energy
productions
for its
audiences
delivering a
variety of
genres of
music with
unique and
dynamic
musical
arrangements;
a true
reflection
of the
talent
existing
within the
organisation.
With
dedicated
and talented
musicians,
Mosaic Steel
Orchestra
seeks to
continue its
exposure to
the
Barbadian
public, the
Caribbean
and by
extension,
the world to
showcase its
talent as
members of a
steel
orchestra
passionate
about the
continual
development
and growth
of the
overall
steel pan
art form.
And
spreading
its wings
through the
wider
Caribbean,
Mosaic Steel
Orchestra
travelled to
Antigua in
July 2008 to
take part in
Antigua's
annual
Panorama.
The panists
were the
guests of
Ebonites
Steel
Orchestra
who jumped
and jammed
their way
into third
position in
the
competition.
Ebonites
have since
continued to
engage
Mosaic
members.
Mosaic’s
panyard
showing
the
destruction
after
Tropical
Storm
Tomas
Later in
October of
that year,
Mosaic took
the
delegates of
the CAPAM
(Commonwealth
Association
for Public
Administration
and
Management)
Conference
on a ‘Steel
Pan Learning
Journey.’
The excited
and eager
delegates
were given
the task to
form a steel
band and
perform one
song for the
remaining
delegates.
With
the
assistance
from members
of Mosaic
the
delegates
not only
learnt the
song “Big
Bamboo” and
performed it
excellently,
but they
also jammed
to their own
music as an
encore was
requested.
In May 2009,
the
management
of Mosaic in
conjunction
with KOMI
(Kensington
Oval
Management
Inc.),
partnered to
produce the
inaugural
‘Pan in de
Oval’
competition
in Barbados.
For
the first
time in
history a
Caribbean
Panorama was
brought to
life with
four
orchestras
competing
from four
countries.
These
included the
eventual
winners,
Invaders
Steel
Orchestra
representing
Trinidad &
Tobago,
Mosaic Steel
Orchestra,
the People's
Choice
representing
Barbados,
and Ebonites
representing
Antigua &
Barbuda
along with
Pan Times
representing
St. Lucia.
They
also
combined to
produce one
of the
largest
Caribbean
Mass Steel
Orchestras;
the mass
steel
ensemble and
engine room
backed
international
soca
superstar,
Patrice
Roberts,
along with
Barbadian
artiste
Adonijah to
a very
appreciative
and
energetic
audience.
Mosaic Steel
Orchestra
has also
travelled to
England to
assist in
the
promotion of
Barbados as
a tourist
destination.
Mosaic
Steel
Orchestra
performs
during
the 2010
ICC meet
In addition
to
performing
at national
events such
as Pan Pun
de Sand in
July 2009 &
2010, and
the 2010
Oistins Fish
Festival,
Mosaic has
also hosted
panyard
limes in
their
panyard.
In
May of this
year Mosaic
teamed up
with KOMI
once more,
and
delivered
brilliant
performances
of the
national
anthems of
all the
participating
countries in
the Barbados
leg of the
International
Cricket
Council
(ICC) 20/20
Cricket
World Cup -
to rave
reviews.
With all
this being
said, the
main
“journeys”
for Mosaic
Steel
Orchestra to
continue on
are its
rebuilding
after the
devastation of their panyard, and
of course -
climbing the
ladder of
success.
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