When Steel Talks
Global
- Trinidad and Tobago Panorama and Carnival
Schedule of Events. Info on the activities
for the 2020 steelband music season.
see more
Global
- PanOnTheNet/ WhenSteelTalks is Panorama
Central! Complete information on the 2020 season of the
Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama, and competitions:
Schedules, Orders of Appearance for preliminary,
semi-final and final phases for large, medium and small
conventional steel orchestras, and single pan bands;
arrangers’ bios, bios of steel orchestras; full results,
panyard addresses, history of previous Panoramas, and
much more!
see complete information
index
Web Posted - Sunday
February 23,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
See the top eleven steel orchestras in
Trinidad & Tobago as they competed for the championship
title in the large band category of the country’s 2020
Panorama, on Saturday February 22 at the Queen’s Park
Savannah, Port-of-Spain. Desperadoes Steel Orchestra went on to win
the competition. The event was live streamed by TTT
Live Online, but real-time access was blocked for viewers in
North America and Europe. The archived video, below, was
made available a few hours after the event.
see Panorama 2020 live stream
Web Posted - Sunday
February 23,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Desperadoes Steel Orchestra is the Panorama 2020 champion, copping the orchestra’s twelfth title. Performing arranger Carlton “Zanda” Alexander's musical image of “More Sokah” Desperadoes left its ten challengers in the proverbial dust. With this title, Desperadoes once again takes the lead with the most national Panorama championships.
Eleven steel orchestras competed before a packed crowd in both
the Grand Stands, and “Pan City.”
get full results
Web Posted -
Wednesday
February 19,
2020
When Steel Talks
Georgetown, Guyana, S.A. -
Guyana’s annual steelband competition known as the Mashramani
Panorama was held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) in
Georgetown on
Sunday February 16, 2020. See the youth and large steel
orchestras as they performed.
see competition performances
Web Posted -
Tuesday
February 18,
2020
Guyana Chronicle
Georgetown, Guyana, S.A. - The Mashramani Panorama competition was a huge hit yet again at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) as the youth and large bands raised the roof on Sunday.
The relatively large CASH space could not contain the mammoth crowd that descended on the event. It was shoulder-to-shoulder seating and patrons lined every single available space. There were few bands that are usually part of the competition– particularly the exquisite Pan Groove steel band– that did not participate this year, but the competition was nothing short of exhilarating.
In the Small School Band segment, which was held first, the
Dolphin Secondary School was a clear winner, edging past all of
its competitors....Vying quite impressively for the first place
was the West Demerara Secondary School, that performed ‘Is we
own,’ replete with their army outfits and illustrating the
Guyana-Venezuela border controversy.
read more
Web Posted - Tuesday
February 18,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Eleven large steel orchestras will perform at Trinidad & Tobago’s 2020 National Panorama finals, to be held at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Saturday February 22.
Click here to see how the steel orchestras scored coming out of the semi-finals.
At stake are the bp Challenge Trophy and TT$1,000,000. 00 as
first prize. Defending champion Renegades Steel Orchestra is
trying for a “three-peat” from position five. The results will
come down to the opinions of judges Lambert Phillip, Michele Dowrich, Richard Pierre, Roger Sardinha, Bernadette Roberts and
Tommy Crichlow.
see order of appearance
Web Posted - Monday
February 17,
2020
Guyana Chronicle
Georgetown, Guyana, S.A. - The Guyana Police Force Steel Orchestra did not disappoint their supporters on Sunday at the Panorama Steel Band Competition held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
With a massive performance of Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts ‘I am 592’ soca song, the Police band outplayed their other two competitors and was unanimously voted champions yet again. In the presence of the Police Commissioner, Leslie James, they basked in the victory as the entire crowd was on their feet.
CASH was packed to capacity and the gates were eventually closed and no one else was allowed entry. Several government officials and prominent individuals were in attendance.
The competition saw three categories; Small Youth Bands, Large Youth Bands and the Large Bands.
read more
Web Posted - Monday
February 17,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Ten steel orchestras in the Medium band finals of Trinidad & Tobago’s annual National Panorama had their musical say on the night of Sunday February 16, 2020. They faced judges Joanna Ragbir, Lennox London, Roger Sardinha, Stephanie Power, Corinne Soo Ping Chow and Joslynne Sealey, as well as a crowd of pan music and culture lovers, and the community overall.
And per the judges, when results were announced not too long
after 12:35 a.m., it was the “turn” of Couva Joylanders which
triumphed with their delivery of Stefon West’s arrangement of De
Fosto’s “Is My Turn.” It is the medium band’s first
championship, and the top prize of TT$600,000.00 is also theirs.
Potential Symphony and Katzenjammers rounded out the top three;
TT$550,000.00 and TT$500,000.00 are those bands’ respective
prize purses.
read more
Web Posted - Sunday
February 16,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - ....Take the hundreds, nay, thousands of children who form the core of the pan players fraternity. As a “pan peong” of note, I have watched them, over the years, change the face, and I dare add the quality, of pan music. With energy to burn, in a manner of speaking, they have almost displaced older panists from the front lines of bands big and small. They execute the arrangers’ scores with such flair, passion and accuracy, they have carved their niches as the present and future of the national instrument.
I have long argued for greater focus on pan the instrument, and pan music, being not just the axis of our cultural
development, but potentially as an anchor of the diversification of our economy.
In this latter regard, what we have going for us is dominance in pan tuning,
which is a skill that, while we do not own it, cannot be fully automated. While
some aspects of the instrument have been mechanised—sinking, marking the
notes—the actual tuning requires “the man with the hammer”, or more properly
put, many men with many hammers.
read more
Web Posted - Sunday
February 16,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Everything is set for a thrilling indigenous musical contest at next Saturday’s Panorama Finals and I open this column with an appeal to anyone who loves pan and our country’s youth to put aside their bad experiences with previous ridiculously lengthy Panorama Finals and attend the event.
This appeal is made because we may be at a new beginning of reconnecting pan to appreciative paying audiences. This new beginning is possible because Saturday’s finals will comprise large bands only. If properly run, the finals should finish at 11 pm, exclusive of the announcement of results.
The contestants include five previous winners: Desperadoes – 11
wins, Renegades – 11 wins, Trinidad All Stars – ten wins, Phase
II – seven wins and Exodus – four wins.
read more
Web Posted - Saturday
February 15,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - ....It has been said that the movement and rhythm of music influence the approach to football of different cultures and nationalities in Brazil. “Show me the way a man dances,” said one prominent South American coach, “and I will tell you how he plays football.” The pounding of the drums and the sway of the hips are vital to the tradition of Brazilian football, where not all the steps are to be believed - some are feints designed to fool the opponent.
....‘Steel band music caught my attention from as early as five years. I recall in the earlier days on the national youth team.. Winston Phillip who was also involved in Steelband at the time
-we had a rhythm section on the team bus which motivated the players before games...this was clear during the Strike squad campaign in 1989 with all the calypso songs that were produced during that time...so yes this is very important and adds to a nation’s cultural tradition in sports and more,” he continued.
read more
Web Posted - Friday
February 14,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
In 2004 Pan Trinbago introduced categories into the National
Panorama competition. Currently, the number of players permitted
in a medium category steel orchestra is 70 to 90 musicians.
This is a listing of the steel orchestras which have been
triumphant to date in the competition since its inception
sixteen years ago. Arrangers are also included.
see
winning medium bands
Web Posted - Friday
February 14,
2020
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Anticipation in Tobago is high for the island's historic hosting of the National Panorama medium conventional steelband finals on Sunday.
Pan Trinbago president Beverly Ramsey-Moore says the organisation is pulling out all the stops to ensure the event, being held at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, is a huge success.
"We are in overdrive for the Panorama because this is an historic occasion. So we are trying to get all of the logistics in place. We have
to ensure that the experience is enjoyed by one and all," an excited Ramsey-Moore told Newsday Tobago.
read more
Web Posted - Thursday
February 13,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - “Once the music is in motion, the drummer is the ‘conductor’ of a
Panorama arrangement - not the person in front of the band, whose role is
more theatrical. Great Panorama drummers have a combination of
finesse, awareness and power. They ‘captain’ the eight to ten minutes ride,
knowing what to highlight on the journey, how to steady the ship and when to
unleash the fury.” Garvin Blake - Performing artist, veteran
arranger
see
champion Panorama Drummers
Web Posted - Wednesday
February 10,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The ten medium steel orchestras which qualified for the finals after competing in the semi-finals phase, have drawn their playing positions for the historic National Panorama finals in their category on Saturday February 16, 2020 beginning 7:00 p.m. in the sister isle of Tobago. Sound Specialists of Laventille plays in position one.
This is the first time that the medium category finals will be
held in Tobago; three bands from the island - Katzenjammers,
Dixieland and Steel Xplosion, will be joined by seven from
Trinidad in the competition.
see order of appearance
Web Posted - Monday
February 10,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
Eleven large steel orchestras from the original fourteen
semi-finalists withstood the musical test in the large category
and are through to Trinidad & Tobago’s National Panorama 2020
finals, to be held at the same venue (Queen’s Park Savannah) two
weeks later on Saturday February 22. Defending champs
Renegades are currently on top once more and going for the hat
trick once more, this time with champion arranger Duvone
Stewart. Desperadoes and Exodus followed closely, in a tie
for second place.
see
full results
Web Posted - Monday
February 10,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
What began as a sunny and windy afternoon, greeted pan players
and attendees alike when the Panorama 2020 Semi-finals aka
“Savannah Party” got started shortly after 1:00 p.m. local time,
with Trinidad Valley Harps first up. A set of sixteen steel
orchestras in the medium category faced judges at the venue of
the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. By 3:47 p.m. Couva
Joylanders in position nine led off the second half. The
sixteenth and final band in competition, Curepe Scherzando, took the stage at 6:10 p.m.
see
full results
Web Posted - Saturday February
8,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - In spite of the all the brew-haha and local controversy over the recently-constructed “Pan-City” for Panorama 2020, some of the oldest and most revered steel orchestras in the world have vowed to display continued commitment and respect to their fans at the upcoming Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama Semi Finals Steelband Competition. And thereby displaying a critical understanding of what’s most important in the sustainability of a working performing music entertainment and business industry surrounding Pan in Trinidad and Tobago.
In speaking with When Steel Talks (WST) - spokespersons for
these steel orchestra franchises communicated that they felt it
was their responsibility to make sure their fans and supporters
were aware that they were not being taken for granted. And as
such, fans in the “Pan City” area (formerly the North Stand
environs) will never see the “backs” of their performing
musicians on the greatest Panorama music stage in the world.
read more
Web Posted - Friday
February 7,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
The fourteen large steel orchestras which qualified for the
semi-finals after panyard judging, have drawn their playing
positions for that next stage of competition on Sunday February
9, 2020, after their sixteen medium counterparts compete. The
overall event begins 1:00 p.m. Exodus Steel Orchestra
plays in position one.
see order of appearance
Web Posted - Friday
February 7,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
The sixteen medium steel orchestras which qualified for the
semi-finals after panyard judging, have drawn their playing
positions for that next stage of competition on Sunday February
9, 2020 beginning 1:00 p.m. Trinidad Valley Harps plays in
position one.
see order of appearance
Web Posted - Friday
February 7,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - In tandem with the recent article Large Steel Orchestras Take Control of their Live Stream Broadcast and Production, WST (When Steel Talks) touched base with on-air personality and cultural activist Gerelle Forbes, who embodies beauty, intellect and knowledge of culture. The latter two especially come into play anytime she is called upon as host/presenter. At the Panorama 2020 panyard preliminary performance of Renegades Steel Orchestra, this was the case for yet another year.
Here’s what Trinbago national Gerelle has to say about the task,
when asked about how she thinks her love for the culture of
Trinidad and Tobago is brought to bear in, and enhances - her
presentation/hosting duties when in the Panyards.
see
more
Web Posted - Thursday
February 6,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - For Trinidad & Tobago’s National 2020 Panorama season, fourteen steel orchestras are moving forward to the Sunday February 9 semi-finals in the large category. Exodus, defending champs Renegades and Desperadoes currently occupy the three top berths, respectively.
This is the first time that Silver Stars, since moving to the
large band category from medium in 2008, is not advancing past
preliminaries. In fact, the band had performed on final night
every year since, with two championships to their credit in 2009
and 2010.
see
full results
Web Posted - Wednesday
February 5,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
Large steel orchestras performed in the Eastern Region
preliminaries of the 2020 Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama on
Tuesday February 4. Three bands in this category:
birdsong, Exodus and Supernovas participated.
Performances were live-streamed. The adjudication panel
travelled to the bands’ respective pan yards where they were
judged.
see video performances
Web Posted - Tuesday
February 4,
2020
When Steel Talks
When your competition is Shakira and J-Lo on Super Bowl Sunday - You had better come with an A grade production...
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - In an effort to showcase their franchises to the world in the most professional and positive light, several large legacy steel orchestras again took complete control of the Panorama Prelim broadcasts from their respective panyards. Most notably, Trinidad All Stars, Renegades and Desperadoes employed the services of professional streaming companies/videographers to live-stream their performances before the judges and fans this past weekend.
And competition for ‘attention’ and visuals was as stiff as it will ever get. They were going against America’s NFL Super Bowl LIV, with J-Lo and Shakira as half-time musical artists.
....getting your Prelim video production and video stream correct
can go a long way on how the world of Pan views your organization
and its musical and promotional prowess.
read more
Web Posted - Tuesday
February 4,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - In
an era that produced special men whose courage, leadership
skills, intellectual and creative genius (the likes of whom have
rarely been seen since) - Rudolph Charles of Desperadoes Steel
Orchestra was indeed part of this select and very rare breed. He
was noted for several inventions and innovations including the
nine-bass, quadraphonic pan, triple tenor, rocket bass, and the
chroming of steelpan instruments as well as the use of aluminum
canopies.
original post
Web Posted - Monday
February 3,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - For Trinidad & Tobago’s National 2020 Panorama season, sixteen steel orchestras are moving forward to the Sunday February 9 semi-finals in the medium category. “Ties” in scoring have facilitated two more than the expected fourteen semi-finalists. Sound Specialists of Laventille with arranger Seion Gomez have topped this round of competition. Yohan Popwell arranging for Curepe Scherzando and Katzenjammers working with Terrance “BJ” Marcelle round out the top three.
Twenty-four bands in total had performed for judges during the
preliminaries in their respective pan yards in the North, East,
South/Central and Tobago regions.
see
more, get full results
Web Posted - Monday
February 3,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Large Steel Orchestras - North Region Preliminaries - were held on Sundll -- Trinidad All Stars, Renegades, Silver Stars, Invaders, Starlift, Phase II Pan Groove and Desperadoes participated.
Following are videos of the performances of these bands in the
large category in this phase of the 2020 Trinidad & Tobago
National Panorama. The adjudication panel travelled to the
bands’ respective pan yards where they were judged.
see video performances
Web Posted - Sunday
February 2,
2020
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Playing the steelpan connects Cailen Gill to his family’s musical history and their contribution to pan music.
Cailen is the grandson of Merline Gill, who has arranged in 40 Panorama competitions and started Gills Pan Limited, a company that exports steelpans. Merline also founded the Curepe Scherzando Steel Orchestra and the Sforzata Steel Orchestra.
Cailen’s love for the pan started even before he knew of his family history with the national instrument. At age four, during a music class at St Xavier’s Private School, his tutor Merle Albino-de Coteau noticed his handwork on the pan and advised his parents to invest in his musical talents.
He is now 13 and a student of St Mary’s College, Port of Spain
and the youngest member of the senior BP
Renegades band.
read more
Web Posted - Saturday
February 1,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Medium steel orchestras performed in the South/Central Region Preliminaries of the 2020 Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama over a two-day period - January 30 and 31, respectively. Couva Joylanders, Southern Marines Steelband Foundation, San City Steel Symphony, Pan Elders, Hatters, Trinidad Valley Harps, Siparia Deltones and Tornadoes all participated.
Some of the
performances were captured in video. The adjudication
panel travelled to the bands’ respective pan yards where they
were judged.
see video performances
Web Posted - Friday
January 31,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - From Sunday February 2 to Wednesday 5, 2020, seventeen Large Conventional steel orchestras will face their category judges in a bid to fill fourteen coveted spots in the semi-finals round of the National Panorama 2020.
Taking the lead are the bands from the North; in order of appearance - Trinidad All Stars, Renegades, Silver Stars, Invaders, Starlift, Phase II Pan Groove and Desperadoes on Sunday February 2 from 7:00 p.m.
On Monday February 3, also from 7:00 p.m., the two entrants from
the sister isle Tobago, Redemption Sound Setters and
Buccooneers, will face the adjudication panel.
see the
full line-up
Web Posted - Thursday
January 30,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
Medium steel orchestras performed in the Eastern Region
preliminaries of the 2020 Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama on
Tuesday January 29. Nine bands in the medium category:
Potential Symphony, Pamberi, Moods, Curepe Scherzando, Sforzata,
Tunapuna Tipica, Arima Angel Harps, Melodians and Sangre Grande
Cordettes, all participated. Some of the
performances were captured in video. The adjudication
panel travelled to the bands’ respective pan yards where they
were judged.
see video performances
Web Posted - Sunday
January 26,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
Great weather and sunny skies played host to enthusiastic music
performances from no less than thirty-two Junior steel
orchestras. All vied for 2020 titles in their respective
categories of ‘Primary Schools,’ ‘Secondary Schools’ and Under
21/Non-Schools (aka Elite). Retaining its hold on the
championship first was Guaico Presbyterian Steel Orchestra, with
arranger Tristan Marcano - Primary School.
see
more, get full results
Web Posted - Wednesday
January 22,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The Quick Chart for the Trinidad and Tobago steelband season showcases the complete listing of the conventional steel orchestras participating in the 2020 Panorama - all in one place, constantly updated. Biographies and histories of the competing orchestras, and arrangers with pictures are featured, along with the bands’ respective tunes of choice for easy access and listening, where available. Get up to date with all the data at your fingertips.
There are three categories in the annual Panorama
competition of conventional orchestras - small, medium and large.
Bands in the Quick Chart are highlighted within these specific
sections, and further sub-divided in each by color-coding to reflect
the four regions the steel orchestras hail from: North, East,
South/Central and Tobago. These regional designations, or
zones, as they were also previously referred to, have been in place
for years and are overseen by the governing body for the Pan—the
country’s national instrument—Pan Trinbago. The body is also
the organizer and promoter of the annual Panorama.
see the full Quick Chart
Web Posted - Saturday
January 18,
2020
When Steel Talks
Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -
Uptown Fascinators Steel Orchestra out of sister isle Tobago
bested thirteen co-competitors to clinch the championship and
trophy in the 2020 Small conventional steel orchestra finals of
the Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama. They performed Ojay
Richards’ winning arrangement of an ’oldie but goldie’ from
Winston Soso, “I Don’t Mind.” All fourteen steel orchestras put
on fiery performances in the finals on Friday January 17 at the
Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain. The 2019 defending
champs T&T Defence Force in second place were on the heels of
the new champions, with 282 points.
read more, click for full results
