In this edition:

1. World Steeband Festival 2002
2. Dr. Orville Wright
3. Honouring Heroes Before It's Too Late
4. Pan Ramajay 2002
5. Pan News:
   Port of Pan

1. World Steelband Festival 2002

Steelpan lovers are in for a treat when the World Steelband Music Festival begins from October 14th to 19th at the Jean Pierre Complex.

Over twenty-four (24) steelbands from across the World are expected to participate in the competition. Local bands have already begun practising as preliminaries start on September 16th and runs until October 5th, 2002.

The approximated budget for the event is five million TT dollars (TT$5 mil). Patrick Arnold, President of Pan Trinbago, anticipates a better response to the festival as opposed to what took place in 2000.

Arnold also added that in the last two years there was a surge in public participation when it comes to the national musical instrument.

Mr. Arnold advocated the need for greater local interest in the instrument via serious workshops and the training of more tuners for the future.

2. Dr. Orville Wright      [back to top]

TTIL has established a relationship of co-operation with Dr. Orville Wright to advance the use of the steelpan in music education in the school system of the USA.

Using "panland" pans and accessories provided by TTIL , Dr. Wright presented a session at the convention of the National Association of Music Educators held in April 2002 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The lecture clinic was entitled, "The Steelpan: Classical and Jazz Performance Practices in Today's Music." The session examined the contemporary use of the steelpan. The clinicians utilized audio and video excerpts augmented by a live performance to demonstrate the instruments versatility.

Dr. Wright who is now in private practice and is highly respected in music circles locally and internationally, was a consultant to Pan Trinbago and Chair of the Ensemble Department of Berklee College of Music where he was a faculty member for twenty-seven (27) years.

He was accompanied in this presentation by Ron Reid, another Trinidadian who is an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and runs their steelpan program.

Two other sessions relating to the steelpan were also presented at the convention entitled "Science + Steeldrums = Smiles" and "Creating a Steelband."

The convention is an annual event bringing together music educators from all over the US to direct the course of music education at all levels.

TTIL President Michael Cooper (L) and Dr. Orville Wright seal their cooperation with a handshake

3. Honouring Heroes Before It's
    Too Late     [back to top]

Minister of state in the University of Culture and Tourism, the Honourable Edward Hart, has hinted that Government would be paying greater attention to the country's cultural heroes. He said that government should look at the contributions of national heroes and should honour them before they die. He expressed these feeling at a function held recently for Pan Pioneer - Sterling Betancourt in recognition of him achieving an MBE Award from Queen Elizabeth. As a member of the order of the British Empire Betancourt's award was included in Her Majesty's New Years Honour List and would be honoured at a ceremony in June 2002.

Betancourt, a 77-year old Pan Pioneer, grew up in Laventille and began his career in pan in the 1930's as a tamboo bamboo player before moving over to the three-note Tenor Pan. He left Trinidad in 1951 on tour with Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO). On his arrival in Britain he made a decision to stay there and spread the steelband gospel.

Sterling Betancourt, pan extraordinaire and Member of the British Empire was honoured by the City of Port of Spain. He received the Key to the City from Mayor Murchinson Brown.

4. Pan Ramajay 2002     [back to top]

The 2002 edition of Pan Ramajay produced by the Exodus Steel Orchestra will take place on the weekend of August 16th to 18th at the St. James Amphitheatre, St. James.

Ainsworth Mohammed Manager of the band, said that the show was normally staged in May, last year however, it was staged in July and that was where he felt it should be kept. This year however, they opted to do in August in keeping with the 40th Anniversary of Independence celebrations.

The opening night, patrons will witness ten (10) pan soloists and five (5) duets in a one-off competition vying for top honours from 8 p.m. Also appearing on the premiere night will be Pantasy Steel Orchestra, John Arnold and the Kariwak Players from Tobago former Pan Ramajay champion Dennis Smith & Brother Mudda. The latter will be opening the show.

Other local musicians are Samaroo Jets, Relator and Sheron Shaw. They will be all performing on Saturday August 17th. The cast of local entertainers will be followed by a foreign bill of entertainers, which would include Jorge Chicoy of Cuba, Rafael David Raposo from Santa Domingo, Kinsley Etienne, a Grenadian national resident in Toronto.

Accompaniment for these acts will be provided by musicians Felix Roach, Tony Voisin, Eman Ector, Sean Thomas, Tamba Gwinde and Earl Brooks.

Entertainer Rafael David Raposo of Santo Domingo on stage at Pan Ramajay 2002 at the St James Amphitheatre on Saturday.

5. Pan News     [back to top]

Port of Pan - "Throw ah eye on de pan"

Trinidad has given birth to the life of pan and has taken care of it to its maturity. Jesse Andrews is playing his part in helping to present the story of this art form in beautiful poems to the world.

"Port of Pan - Throw ah eye on the Pan," contains a number of stories of life in Trinidad wrapped around the growth, the struggle, the life and expressions of the steelpan beautifully told by Jesse in poetic form. His vision of the true "port " of pan is in the soul of a nation that created the Pan and so the imagery of his pan poems reaches the soul of pan lovers all over the world.

There are many benefits that will come from this project. First there is an acknowledgement of the many whose stories have given inspiration and which have been told in poetic form. Recognition of their story gives them meaning and influence and the opportunity for the writer to spread his wings in verse.

Additionally I am certain that people will enjoy the poems and learn much about the steelpan form and life in Trinidad. It us through his story telling that this poet has begun to help to create a common steelpan culture and share in a sense of a growing community and the need for us to "throw ah eye on de pan."

"Port of Pan" is a body of work that should find a home in the education system and as a source of study, debate, reflection and enjoyment for readers now and of generations to come.

TTIL wishes to inform all its well wishers to be a part of this beautiful experience and purchase this wonderful book.

For more information contact Mr. Jesse Andrews at portofpan@hotmail.com. Or at

5 - 2755 Windwood Drive
Mississauga, Ontario
65N 208
CANADA

An extract from TRINIDAD, PORT OF PAN - one of the many poems in the book "Port of Pan - Throw ah eye on de pan"

"Port of Spain, Port of Spain"
Are you insane?
I'm not a Port of Spain.
Listen up, Trinidad and Tobago
Don't treat your culture so
Its time for Spain to go.
Am synonyms with pan
So pass a name change legislation
Call me Port of Pan.