The Weekly Packet
When one thinks of Maine, one thinks of shipbuilding, fishing, and the sea—not steel band music. But Blue Hill’s own Pan Coalition will be one of three steelbands from the U.S. competing in Trinidad on August 9 for the title of International Panorama Champions.
In what is shaping up to be a fiery “battle of the bands,” 12 foreign steel bands will challenge the world’s best when they come up against 12 Trinidadian bands, also called orchestras, as each band will have a minimum of 40 players, according to a news release.
The remainder of the competition includes two steel orchestras from Canada, two from the UK, and one each from Cuba, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Martin, Guyana, and Jamaica.
Pan Coalition is a high-energy, multigenerational steel band with players from across the state, currently ranging in age from 10 to 66. Band membership is fluid, changing from year to year, creating the unique challenge of blending very different levels of experience and expertise into a cohesive entity to play at regional and international festivals.
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