Site Map * Site Search * Events * Pan Global * Message Board * Guest Book * Pan News * Pan Radio * Pan New York * About Us |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Tunapuna Panorama
Soars High Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago - A little more than a week before the National Panorama finals in Port-of-Spain, there was tempo and excitement aplenty. It was centered a few miles east of 'the Big Yard' (aka the stage at the Queen's Park Savannah.) The inaugural Panorama competition in Tunapuna was the focus for steel orchestras based in the East. And though two of the bands competing in the first annual Tunapuna panorama also made it to the February 25th finals at the savannah, on this particular night, the bands present were eyeing the top prize up for grabs - TT $30,000.00.
National panorama champs for 2003 and 2004 - Exodus Steel Orchestra - would eventually take home that first prize, with Sforzata running second, and away with, TT $25,000.00. Securing $20,000.00 was the bands who tied for third place, Pamberi and Harmonites Steel Orchestras. The seven other orchestras each received $10,000.00 in the event. Eleven out of the fourteen registered bands were present for competition at the panorama, with an allowed maximum and minimum of fifty and thirty players respectively. Hundreds of spectators lining blocks turned out for the event, staged on the section of the Eastern Main Road in Tunapuna shut down for that purpose. Adjudicators were Richard Pierre, Cherry-Ann Saunders, Clement Danclair and Jeanette Johnson. Head of Pan Trinbago Eastern Region, Vernon Morancie, told When Steel Talks the four sets of scores were all taken into consideration for the final tally - none were dropped.
The show got off to a somewhat later start than scheduled, attributed to logistical issues mainly in the area of transportation arrangements. One of the more noticeable lulls was between the two final bands, Harmonites and Sforzata, where about an hour elapsed before the performance of the latter. As a result even the judges took the opportunity to relieve themselves from the long stint at their table. Asked about the idea behind the Tunapuna competition, Vernon Morancie said it was a collaborative effort between Pan Trinbago Eastern Region and the Tunapuna Carnival Committee, initiated by the Member of Parliament for the area, Eddie Hart. It was felt that Tunapuna's time had come, with Port-of-Spain, Arima, and other areas hosting their own competitions. This area focused specifically on bands east of the Lady Young Road through Arouca. Barring the late start and lapses in between a few of the performances, the Tunapuna competition is well on its way to being yet another 'must-attend' pan event. The annual panorama season in Trinidad and Tobago has just become even more livelier.
C. Phillip, Basement
Press Corp.
2006 Complete Interview List
Copyright 2006 - Basement Recordings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ANY REPRODUCTION, REPRINTING OR COPYING OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS, OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL - AUDIO, VISUAL OR TEXT - FROM THE BASEMENT RECORDINGS/WHEN STEEL TALKS/PANONTHENET WEBSITES, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF WHEN STEEL TALKS.
Share
your opinions
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Site Map * Site Search * Events * Pan Global * Message Board * Guest Book * Pan News * Pan Radio * Pan New York * About Us |