South bands struggling to find players for Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

Junior Sammy Group Skiffle’s Ayanna Reyes, left, and Jeff Jones work on the band’s 2013 Panorama song The Dream (Supna). Pannist Ray Holman is arranging for the band of Coffee Street, San Fernando.Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - While the national Panorama competitions continue to flourish in Port-of-Spain, steelbands in San Fernando are struggling to find players to launch a big challenge. The present situation is not overnight development, said David Balbosa, co-leader of Hatter’s Steel Orchestra, who urged stakeholders to come together to solve the problem since he fears the art form is dying in south Trinidad.

“There has been a decline in players because a trend has taken over the whole movement nationally where people don’t want to play pan without getting money for it. They are demanding big sums of money and some band can’t afford it. As a result, it is affecting the numbers in the band,” Balbosa said.
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  • Recognizing the pan outside of Trini & making the money is a definite, sponsorship pays each man, or does it?? giving back to the country and entertaining its people should be a proud feeling, like every competition, play first, winners get their due, no?? I was so disappointed and disillusioned when my last carnival,, there were NO pans on the road, during the evening, what is this all about?? is the sweet pan not "a Trini ting," anymore??

  • The problem is to many MEDIUM BANDS. Why? Lump this group with the large band category. Trinidad need educated people to take charge of Panorama. This trend was going downward for some years now. Not sure who is the jackass to split up pan into small, medium and large. We need ONE PANORAMA WINNER. The only small bands should be the  'pan around the neck' period. Not only that, the medium bands prize money is almost the same as the large bands.

  • I was hesitant to reply to this post but I will say what I have seen.

    Now I have not been in Trinidad Panorama since 2006. I have noticed a dramatic change in Panorama 2013. People must be honest when they make comments and source proper information before making such statement as one large band.There are more than one large band in Southern Region that will be compete in this year Panorama however some have not topped up at the maximum level of musicians at this time.

    The season is short,the good pan musician from yester year has taken a back seat, some of them are tire of playing the same type of music every year by their arrangers,Management of some bands are like dinosaur It is time management  realise if something is not working for you year after year try something new 1983 is not the same a 2003 and 2013, time has changed.

    Management of bands need to find new ways of doing old things.

    Do you have a stage side,are the happy? I can speak about Fonclaire,say what you think "we have a very good vibe and there are young minds that are allow to make contributions and decisions"Thank you for moving with the times Wire.

    After paying your players so much money what do you have after your band gets the boot in the prelims?

    After paying your arrangers so much money for a song that does not make it to semis and or finals, do you have a music score of the arrangement you paid for ?

    What about your Steelpans, are they well preserved after panorama or you have  (Cello and Basses) stay out to catch rain water?

    How is your Pan Tuner?...Did you band send any of it's members to learn the art and skill of Pan Tuning so that cost could be reduced.

    When you bands don't have fair elected to reflect change (bring in some young minds)with the times your band?

    What is your business plan?

    Are you reaching out to the schools/social groups...What about casual or government  workers who cud come out on at a pan class once a weekend and have one of your patient upcoming arrangers work with them,eg. TTEC/TSTT/ Francis Fashion workers...try something new man think outside the box, oh gosh...there are lots of Trinis want to learn to play pan but are often very intimidated..

    I can go on and on...

    This goes out to all bands,even Pantrinbago...wake up,Respect  and the instrument.

    I take time to teach introduction steelpan every week on my foreign trips becuase one day  I want to see pan in over 200 countries around the world,yes I am thinking BIG.

  • The problem is national so it should be approached as such.One approach is to expand the art form in local schools. Funders should approach schools .Instruments sb donated .Each school sb encouraged to hire a part time tutor for the school band.National school competitions sb run.District Communities should use the same approach to create district bands with tuitors.ie expand the base of players. Prize monies sb used to expand the school or Comminty programs.Some non cash reward method sb created by schools and communities.
    A shift to school and community run bands. Some level of goverment support and business support to rejuvenate the art form via school and community pride. Government by providing significant cash prizes to band leaders have created a greed problem. The prizes are not shared properly.When good players realize that they are more likely to get money by being a player in a successful prize winner they go there. The focus has now shifted among players. How
    Much can I make.
    Flood the market with trained players.Teach more and more kids to be players. Expand the availability of players.Every existing band should have a percentage of trianees to replace vets who choose to move on.Schools and Community groups should provide this resource.
    Ensure that kids are protected from hawks.Bands have to provide reliable trustworthy transportation to players to exist. Each band has to show more care for players. Feed your members.
    Treat them well. The majority of the players stay if well treated.View a band as a team whichj has to constantly recruiting new players.
    HerbieB
  • The claim that there is only one large  band  in South Central  and the glaring omissions of large bands like Fonclaire, Deltones,  Angel Harps etc. negates the value and impact of an important story.

    This is very poor journalism.

  • Yeah, what about Siparia Deltones. They always come strong
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