‘Pandemic’

When Cary Codrington's childhood neighbours, Joseph and Addison Cummings taught him to play the pan under ‘the downs tree’ in their back yard, they laid the foundation for a future initiator of an influential and phenomenal musical legacy. Today the family of Cary Codrington, affectionately known as 'The Codrington Pan Family' residing at Bath Street East Dry River, Port of Spain, are all proficient on the steelpan and are unique contributors to the legacy of this musical art form.

Cary Codrington's own musical career received a boost from its humble beginnings in the Cummings' back yard to an opportunity to play pan professionally with Starlift Steel Orchestra in 1972. His talent and enthusiasm for the instrument continued throughout his youth and today Cary continues to devote much of his time to the nurturing of young talent with several school bands, individuals and groups. Following his experience with Starlift, Cary took his talents to another level and began his arranging career with the Woodbrook Government Secondary School.

Under Codrington's tutelage, Woodbrook Secondary won the School's Panorama in 1978. Nine years later, he repeated this feat with the well renowned and respected St. Augustine Senior Comprehensive School band. In recent years, Cary has been arranging for the Success Laventille School Steelband. They also won the School Steelband Festival on two occasions, placed second on two other occasions and won the Junior Panorama in 2003.

It was in 1982 that Cary started arranging for adult bands, with the City Symphony Steelband. He also took Birdsong to their first National Panorama Finals in 1984. He arranged for Laventille Sound Specialists who continued the tradition of musical excellence by placing 5th in the medium band category at the National Panorama Finals in 2004 and 4^th in the World Steelband Music Festival Qualifying round and 4^th in the Finals of the WSMF held in Madison Square Garden NY, USA.

Cary explains that he likes to spend time teaching steelband music, especially to the young ones, because he believes that the zeal that is abundant in young musicians can help the evolution of steel bands and allow Trinidad to maintain a leading role in the future of steelband music and Pan Technology.

Cary is the band’s Musical Director and Arranger. He has been playing and arranging for steelbands for more than twenty (20) years. He is the holder of a Grade II Solo Performance - U.W.I. Creative Arts Centre, 1998 and a Grade V – Royal School of Music, 2000. He has performed extensively, both locally and internationally. He has arranged for several bands at the National Panorama Competitions, National School Panorama Competitions, Music Festival and Pan Ramajay. He has also performed alongside distinguished Calypsonians and other artistes.