SteelFesTT (the Steelpan Festival of Trinidad and Tobago) is an annual, instrument-based festival dedicated to the national instrument which will be launched in 2012 during the 50th anniversary celebrations of our national independence. The launch of this Festival also commemorates more than 75 years of development of the instrument since the Alexander Ragtime band introduced convex-shaped sweet oil pans, dustbin covers and biscuit pans to festivities on the streets of Port of Spain.
SteelFesTT aims to establish a unique focal point by providing an international forum, world stage and global marketplace for the steelpan in the land of its birth. Pan Trinbago is partnering with the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) to introduce an arena in which the international pan fraternity can celebrate "the instrument of the future".
It is expected that the festival will contribute to building capacity for self-sufficiency, growth and global reach in the pan movement. This will redound to the benefit of the incubator communities that have nurtured the instrument for decades.
SteelFesTT 2012 will be held from 4th – 13th May in honour of the late Pat Bishop and will include a concert series, international conference and a street parade.
Comments
I certainly will attend! Congratulations to NGC and thank you WST for allowing me this opportunity to comment.
I think however that more thought ought to have been given to certain aspects of the programme.
Since the emphasis is on pan, pioneers and pannist could have been singled out for recognition/honour - Rudolph Charles, Clive Bradley(arranger), Ellie Mannette, Bertie Marshall, Jit Samaroo, Ray Holman and Liam Teague come to mind.
The Steelfest brochure invites you to "Hear our *world-class" steel orchestras play alongside........" The words *"world-class" in this context are misleading. Trinidad and Tobago is the birthplace of pan, the mecca of pan! The world comes to us to learn about pan! The world recognises that WE ARE pan! To say that our steel orchestras are "world class" suggests that comparisons can be made when in fact we have the world's best steel orchestras.
Finally, our Minister of Education in the PP government has removed the "Pan in the classroom" project from schools. Steelfest provides an excellent platform to empathically inform him about the error of this decision. Some refuse to recognize the international value of "pan" - not just as a musical instrument - and the fact that it was invented/created by Trinbagonians in Trinidad and Tobago.