The Equinox
by Sam Norton
A&E Editor
New Hampshire, USA - The recital, which was held on Friday, Sept. 21, is the first of its kind to appear at the Redfern Arts Center. Christopher Swist, professor of music, said, “Nothing like this has ever happened in my 10 years here, so it is a neat little fun thing that we are hoping to make a tradition out of.”
“There are some local steel drum bands in the area but it is still a rare opportunity for students to hear and especially hear from someone [Mast] who has been there, and who has visited there [Trinidad & Tobago] and who knows the style,” Swist said.
Mast, who teaches half of the percussion studio here at KSC, not only plays the steel drums, but also studies the culture of it as well. “Murray has been to Trinidad and Tobago. He played in a couple of the bands there and studied how they do the authentic music there,” Swist said.
KSC Caribbean Night was an opportunity for Mast to educate the crowd on the legends and the folklore surrounding the steel drum and the Trinidadian culture, according to Swist. These steel drums that are a staple in the Trinidadian culture are made out of authentic 55 gallon oil barrels, according to Swist.
click for full article
Replies
The article paraphrases Prof. Murray Mast as saying that steelpan was created because “bamboo did not produce the notes that the people of Trinidad desired.” Is this correct? The colonial authorities cracked down on ‘tamboo bamboo’ much the same as they previously cracked down on African drums, recognizing both as instruments of resistance. I see pan as an important example of Trinidadian creativity and resistance culture developed during the 20th century, not a substitute for an earlier 19th century creation.
Greetings Where was this Caribbean recital held? Where is Redfern Arts Center Located? Guidance Dr. Lance Seunarine