Ministry of the Arts & Multiculturalism launches Music School in the Pan Yard

The Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism is launching a Music School in the Pan yard this year to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. 

The programme will be launched on Saturday afternoon at the pan theatre of the Exodus Steel Orchestra in St. Augustine.

In a media release the ministry said it considers this a significant milestone in national development and an opportune time to commit resources to the establishment of a series of developmental activities that will:

• grow the cultural sector
• empower the artistic community
• establish a lasting legacy and 
• deepen the relationship between the Ministry and the public it serves

The Music School in the Pan yard will create an annual platform for budding musicians of all kinds to be exposed to music literacy and a wide variety of musical instruments, in the bosom of the steelpan fraternity, the ministry said.

In its first year of operation, the programme will tutor 25 beginners and 25 practising musicians in each participating pan yard in the fundamentals of music theory, the steelpan, brass and string instruments. 

Students will also have the opportunity to interact with several accomplished master artists who have agreed to participate as Artists-in-Residence at each venue. The "esteemed artists" are:

• Errol Ince at Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra
• Anthony Woodroffe at Couva Joylanders
• Pelham Goddard at Exodus Steel Orchestra
• Roy Cape at Casablanca Steel Orchestra
• Leston Paul at Potential Symphony Orchestra 

The ministry sees this project as the achievement of a major policy objective to contribute to the holistic professional development of musicians in Trinidad and Tobago. 

"Our specific objective is to develop the largest per capita population of musically literate musicians in the world. We also expect that this programme will deepen the relationship between our nation’s pan yards and their respective communities on the one hand and the rest of the music fraternity on the other," the ministry said.

Tuition is free and open to all participants aged 15 years and over. 

Anyone interested in joining the school can contact participating steelbands to register. Members of the public and interested parties can find more information by contacting the Culture Division, Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism at 625-8519.