T&T hosts World Steelband Festival 2000

October 6, 2000
By Terry Joseph

TRINIDAD and Tobago will be the host of yet another international event —the World Steelband Festival 2000. Beginning Monday and culminating with a grand final on October 21st at the Jean Pierre Complex, the festival is the brainchild of PanTrinbago and is being undertaken jointly with the Ministry of Culture of Trinidad and Tobago with assistance from several corporate sponsors.

Competitors from Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago will bid for the title of the world’s best pannists.

Here’s a list of local qualifiers who have made it based on their performance in the 1998 Steelband Music Festival. Qualifiers from North America and the Caribbean have not yet been posted. For more information check the website: www.pantrinbago.co.tt or call 623 3596.

Soloists:
• Brent Holder
• Jason Peters
• Ronnie Ross
• Bruce Roberts
• Sophia Subero
• Ebony Rocke

Duets:
• Desiree Myers/ Rudolph Williams from the Invaders Steel Orchestra
• Marisa Theodore/ Melissa Theodore from the Nutones Steel Orchestra
• Marsha Ivey/ Gayle Magnus from the Exodus Steel Orchestra

Quartets:
• Exodus
• Trinidad All Stars
• Point Fortin New Creation
• Parry’s Pan School

Ensembles:
• Supersonics
• Exodus
• Skiffle Bunch
• Tipica
• Deltones
• Our Boys
Orchestras (Conventional):
• Defence Force
• Exodus
• Pan Knights
• Skiffle Bunch
• Invaders
• Laventille Sound Specialists
• Moods
• Tobago Buccooneers
• Parry's Pan School
• Our Boys

Single-Pan: These bands will go straight to the finals, carded for October 10th at the St. James Amphitheatre.
• Dem Boys
• La Romain Super Vibes
• Laventille Serenaders
• Marcisians
• Scrunters Pan Groove
• Trinidad Nostalgic
European Zone: These qualifiers have made it based on their performance at the European Steelpan Festival in May this year.
• Ebony Steelband (Great Britain)
• Calypsociation (France)
• Steel Pan Lovers (Finland)
• Panch 2000 (Switzerland)

Schedule of Events:

October 9: Reception, Cascadia Hotel and Conference Centre  
October 10: Single Pan bands now perform on October 17th and 18th, i.e on same nights as Orchestra Semi Finals.
October 11: Orchestra Preliminary, Jean Pierre Complex, $50
October 12: Orchestra Preliminary, Jean Pierre Complex, $50
October 13: Orchestra Preliminary, Jean Pierre Complex, $50
October 14: Rain Date, Jean Pierre Complex.
October 15: Blocko & Pan Market, Brian Lara Promenade
October 16: ICSTS 2000, Crowne Plaza.
October 17: Orchestra Semi Finals; Single Pan Bands - Finals (Part 1), Jean Pierre Complex, $75, $50.
October 18: Orchestra Semi Finals; Single Pan Bands Finals (Part 2), Jean Pierre Complex, $75, $50.
October 19: Rain Date, Jean Pierre Complex.
October 20: Ensemble/Minor Categories Final, Queens Park Savannah, $50.
October 21: Orchestra Finals, Jean Pierre Complex, $100, $75.

The End