By Marlene Augustine - Trinidad Newsday
The national instrument — the Steelpan — has been described as a magnificent gift from God by manager of Bp Renegades Steel Orchestra Michael Marcano.
Marcano was speaking yesterday at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-of-Spain as members of the Trinidad and Tobago Girl Guides, Sea Scouts, Cadet Force and Rangers participated in a celebration to mark the 39th anniversary of Trinidad and Tobago becoming a Republic.
Marcano said the way in which the Steelpan was developed and came into existence was a blessing for Trinidad and Tobago.
“The people who developed the Steelpan had no knowledge of tuning an instrument, it did not happen by guess... they did it from inspiration, so that had to come from God and sometimes we don’t recognise when we have a gift,” he said...
...We must professionalise the entire structure of the Steelpan, if the world is to come to us” he said.
Marcano emphasised that the Steelpan was made the country’s national instrument, but still does not get recognition of its fair share of broadcast.
“If the youths are fed music from another culture they are going to like and learn the music. We do not really hear the national instrument on the television and on the radio stations. The excuse they use is that the young people do not like it, but children live what they learn and you cannot use that as an excuse,” he said.
He said some people agitate for legislation to demand air play, but he do not believe in that philosophy because no one can “force someone to love even themselves far less to love their own music”.
“What we have to do is speak to the children and teach them the history of their culture on the legacy and heritage of the Steelpan which is a gift from God. There are larger countries in the world that cannot lay claim to an original instrument of music. We are 1.5 million who developed the Steelpan along with Calypso and Soca and that is a gift from God and if we don’t use it, God will take it back from us,” he said....
Replies
the world at large would love to Patent the Pan and Calypso. Independence and Republic days maybe the dawn of a new days to come. Pan On De Ave and Jouvert by invaders
If only God could give T&T an Association to take the thing forward, that'd be nice.
... and the minds to make some marketable PAN MUSIC.
Ay Claude, what does marketable PAN Music sound like or should sound like ? Can you give an example? Is marketability based on sales?
bugs
Pointed questions!!! Marketability is based on catchiness, skilled songwriting ability, state of the art recording technology, cross market appeal, critical acceptance by music reviewers (lots of ink), air play and sales. And the general buzz that is aroused by a good movie or good song where everybody asks everybody else: did you hear that piece of pan music that was played on WWHITS radio as word of mouth propels popularity.
In today's world there are so many new channels to gain buzz and popularity and PAN has a base audience that could propel a decent piece of music to broader appeal.
Actually, the "should sound like" is in my head since I have never heard a piece that I think is marketable. So I cannot give you an example. But I have always felt that I would recognize it in an instant once I hear it.
Understood.
bugs
James 1:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
I'm not religious, sorry. But never the less I think they did a great job, learning how to tune. It takes a lot of patience to learn how to tune. I'm a piano tuner and it took me about 2 years to know what to listen to, and another year to do it so it was affordable for clients (time is money). Just patience and consistency is the keyword here. Would love to learn how to tune pan, but nobody here in Holland who wants to teach me the technique. Frustrates me, 'cause I know where to listen to, but don't know how to use the hammer...!!
Deanne, the man with de hammer gone.