A British Pan Woman
Rachel Hayward
United Kingdom - This March marks the 25th anniversary of my involvement with pan. Forty years ago pans were introduced into British schools through the efforts of renowned pan pioneers such as Gerald Forsyth and Russell Henderson. My secondary school – the Radcliffe, in the new city of Milton Keynes - started their steelband in 1984, and despite having never seen or heard pan before, and as I was involved in every other musical activity possible (orchestras, choirs and so on) I was not going to be left out of something that looked as interesting as these mysterious new instruments.
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Keep on keeping on with your musical attributes and particularly with steelpan ... yes, how could you miss out on this innovative, remarkable, musical instrument. I had the pleasure of playing with you in Trinidad in 2007 and attending the revisiting of your marriage vows at the Botanical Gardens too. It was wonderful meeting you and I wish you all the success that you deserve. Your look good too, man .... the red hair suits you like WOW!!! However, so far, well done and hope we meet up again sometime, somewhere.
Annette
Just a connection- I am a high school pan player off the coast of Maine, in the U.S. People are often amazed at the amount of pan activity there is in the state, all really started by my mentor's father Carl Chase, in the 70's. I now play with two different steelbands, as well as help teach the younger level, play in a high school jazz combo, and a competing panorama band in Montreal in the summer. I have just started arranging, and look forward to a long future with pan. I just thought it is interesting to see the various levels of pan activity now happening across the globe, and hope to see it continue to grow.
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