Trinidad - Amidst the excitement for Panorama finals, it is still business as usual for bands such as Trinidad All Stars.  Long-time band manager Beresford 'Berry' Hunte has both feet planted firmly on the ground, and keeps everything in proper perspective.  "Carnival time means gigs" Hunte said firmly to When Steel Talks, despite the fact that he was still sleepy after another very late night when we caught up with him.  He went on to give details of what the band's schedule had been like in the past few days, and what was coming up.  With engagements centered around the Carnival season, Hunte was clear on his priorities, reminding "It's not panorama alone."  The band's stageside is kept busy with a full schedule of activities, all the while practicing for the panorama competition.

With 'much, much more time' between competition segments, Trinidad All Stars' skilled arranger Leon 'Smooth' Edwards has made some changes to the musical arrangement of Pan Lamentation, composed and performed by De Fosto.  With this in mind, Hunte reminded of years gone by when semi-finals were held the Thursday before the big night on Saturday, leaving bands just one day to change and/or enhance their presentation for the finals.  For the past few years, there has not been one, but fourteen days between the two legs of competition.

Hunte is also serious about the musicality and technical proficiency of his players.  At present there are more than one hundred and forty players painstakingly practicing on a nightly basis.  There is a core of musicians that plays almost every year, mainly because they are the crème de la crème of the orchestra at that point.  Then there are the others vying for the remaining coveted spots in an environment that allows just one hundred and twenty positions at competition time.  But having more than the maximum to choose from does not phase Beresford Hunte, who remained adamant and emphasized more than once that players could 'make the cut,'  "but they must be able to play the music." 

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