Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Matt Potts creates a steelpan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Matt Potts creates a steelpan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Ronald Matthews, a master steelpan builder from Trinidad, watches as a Matt Potts builds a steepan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. Matthews has been building pans and working with Potts to further hone his skills as a pan builder and tuner. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Ronald Matthews, a master steelpan builder from Trinidad, watches as a Matt Potts builds a steepan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. Matthews has been building pans and working with Potts to further hone his skills as a pan builder and tuner. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com A view of steelpans that were built at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com A view of steelpans that were built at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Matt Potts creates a steelpan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Matt Potts creates a steelpan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Ronald Matthews, a master steelpan builder from Trinidad, watches as a Matt Potts builds a steepan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. Matthews has been building pans and working with Potts to further hone his skills as a pan builder and tuner. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Ronald Matthews, a master steelpan builder from Trinidad, watches as a Matt Potts builds a steepan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. Matthews has been building pans and working with Potts to further hone his skills as a pan builder and tuner. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com A view of steelpans that were built at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com A view of steelpans that were built at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Matt Potts creates a steelpan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
Sarah Nader
Sarah Nader - snader@shawmedia.com Matt Potts creates a steelpan at the Culture Arts & Music Center in Woodstock Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. They are getting instruments ready for a group of students coming from Trinidad to take part in an Aug. 31 concert at the Woodstock Opera House.
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Through late nights into early mornings, Matt Potts has shaped barrels into steelpans, molding and tuning until they create the sound he envisions.

With the help of Ronald Matthews, a master steelpan builder from Trinidad, he’s determined to have enough instruments ready for an expected group of about 30 young students from Trinidad. Many of them are making their first and likely only trip to the United States.

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