A small crowed of pan loving patrons gathered at the Bay Front last night to be serenaded by tunes from young musicians as the Ministry of Culture held its annual Pan Festival.
The event formed part of the DOMFESTA 2011 activities organized by the Ministry of Culture.
“The basic objective is to promote the pan as an art form. We also wanted to showcase the individual pan groups,” said Cultural Officer Gregory Rabess.
The participating groups included Dominica Grammar School and Friends, Mahaut Steel Pan, Judah Steel Orchestra from the Trinity Baptist Church, Genesis Steel Pan and Gregory Rabess.
Drummer of one of the bands, Kerwan Antoine, wants more young people to get involve in the art form. “I want to encourage young people to get into Steel Pan, it’s a good source of entertainment and it teaches discipline,” he said.
His sentiments were supported by Kerry Ann White Leader of the Judah Steel Orchestra in an interview with DNO minute after her group’s performance. White and other youths from the Trinity Baptist Church started the group six years ago after they participated in a summer school work shop held at the Old Mill Cultural Centre.
“Not many people appreciate Pan Music. It keeps young people together. It’s versatile and it’s a great hobby” White said.
The musicians and patrons alike indicated that while they enjoyed the event they were disappointed at its lack of public support.
First of all, the advertisement for the pan show, up to yesterday afternoon when I last heard it, never made mention of the change in venue. The show was advertised for the Arawak House of Culture.
It was indeed discouraging to see the poor turn out of the public last night. This does not give encouragement to the young pan players who, no doubt, must feel that they were playing for playing sake.
The person responsible for the electronic mixing needs to undertstand, and learn, just what it takes for the proper amplification of pan. The drum set was over amplified, thus drowning out the bass pans, the tenors were over amplified making them sound more like ‘tin’ pans than smooth melodious chrome pans. Overall, there was constant feedback from the amplification system.
Not part of the critique, this is an appeal to corporate and or philantrophic sponsors to come on board and assist pan groups in procuring instruments. Your sponsorship will go a long way in helping the pan groups to train more young people and keep our youth, our future, along the straight and narrow path thus helping to reassure them that we do care.
I don’t remember hearing much about the pan show in the media before it was held. Maybe the organizers in the Ministry of Culture can highlight the event on the radio and newspapers next year. I think if they’re able to create awareness among the public the turnout would be a lot better.
Also, I have a suggestion for the pan groups, their leaders and their sponsors. You should make an effort to have experienced Trinidadian pan music arrangers come to Dominica to share their knowledge through training and apprenticeship. Anyone who has played pan knows that the magic is in the arrangement and the playing. Expertise in arranging come after many years of playing and writing pan music.
I’ve played with and taught pan music under various type of arrangers (experienced Trinidadian, dedicated music scholar who is non-Trinidadian, self-taught pan enthusiast who is non-Trinidadian, etc) and there is an obvious difference in the quality of music produced. So… just a friendly suggestion.
That is My2Sense
Man what a shame! Such good entertainent goes to waste, boy DA have really change.
Great move, keep on promoting the Pam music.