Everyone remembers their first time. Whether that be their first kiss, their first trip to another country or their first live concert experience. For pannist and arranger, Mia Gormandy, it would be hard to forget that 2016 marked her first time arranging for Trinidad & Tobago Panorama in the large band category. Especially since it also marks the beginning of her career as a professional steelband arranger on a stage as well-known as any she’s been a part of.
“I have been playing pan for 23 years now. I started playing pan at age 5. My parents bought a pan for my older brother so that he can learn and play. However, he was not interested in learning. Instead, I was reaching over my head trying to play the instrument. Therefore, what started off as pan lessons for my brother turned into pan lessons for me,” Gormandy said. “At age 5, I am not sure what drew me to it, but something did. I started playing with Trinidad All Stars when I was 9 years old. I first joined their stage side then I played my first Panorama with them the following year at age 10. My parents were always big fans of Trinidad All Stars, which is why they took me there.”
A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Gormandy earned her arranging spurs with the NIU steelband under the tutelage of Liam Teague and Cliff Alexis. Her tenure with the band, and her later work with other bands, allowed her to prepare for her eventual move into Panorama arranging.
“I arranged for quite some time before I became birdsong’s arranger. When I was a student at Northern Illinois University (NIU), I arranged music for the NIU Steelband and for the All-University Steelband, which I co-directed for two years. I then became the director for Mas N Steel at Florida State University. I arranged for them for four years,” Gormandy said. “I also had the opportunity to arrange and compose for other musical ensembles including Omnimusica at Florida State University. I arranged for Junior Panorama in 2014 for Symphony of Saints, which earned us third place. I am not sure how many arrangements I have completed for steelband, but “Pan Kingdom” was my first arrangement intended for the large band category for Panorama.”
As word spread in Trinidad of Gormandy’s abilities, she was contacted in early 2016 by birdsong captain, Marvin Walker, who voiced an interest in having her as a potential candidate to arrange for birdsong in 2017. With the board ready to select a new arranger, Gormandy quickly became a frontrunner, despite having strong competition from other noted arrangers like Andre White and Andy Narell, who had just completed his fourth year as arranger for the band.
“I was pleasantly surprised and showed my interest. I was aware that they considered other arrangers as well. However, a few weeks later, I was appointed Panorama arranger,” Gormandy said. “When we discussed options for our tune of choice, we knew we wanted a 2017 piece that would represent the band well. I worked closely with Mark Loquan and recorded the steelpan part for ‘Pan Kingdom,’ which was not only released for 2017, but was also composed for the Virtual Steelband (www.virtualsteelband.com), another project I am currently involved with.”
According to Gormandy, she suggested the piece because it gave her a lot to work with as an arranger and it fit the international theme that birdsong continues to portray every year through its international program. “Birdsong’s management loved it so we decided on ‘Pan Kingdom,'” she added.
Panorama needs a complete makeover,” she said. “Firstly, the competition needs a proper organization that can not only run the competition in a fair manner, but can also make the competition relevant to the world we live in. Accommodations in judging should be made to reward musical creativity, difficulty in music, and other important elements of music that have not been previously accounted for. We should be promoting creativity and not hindering the process.”
Replies
BIRDSONG should be promoting creativity and not hindering the process!!!
A time for a review of the decision making process...
With all due respect to Mia, Andre would have been the better choice, he has a better track record. Andre would have had birdsong seriously disrupting the lives of the top five..
Agreed...strange decision...if you ask me...
Unsure if she’ll be returning for 2018, Gormandy hopes to get another chance
odw: That is an interesting PLOT TWIST!!!