16
ISSUE 1/MAY 2014
Pan Arranging students in UTT
by Che Britto and Alicia Brown
20
Jamal Gibbs is currently studying at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, where he is pursuing a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Music, specification Steel Pan. He is currently in his second year of this four-year Program. Jamal has always had a passion about music, mainly Steel Pan music as he began playing at the tender age of four (4). As the years go by, his love for the instrument grew that he decided to himself to develop his skills and eventually master the instrument. He was exceedingly enthusiastic when he had this newly found talent of arranging for a Steel Orchestra. Jamal has now been arranging for six years.
He arranged music for small ensembles, with hope that one day he will be able to arrange for a Steel Orchestra in a panorama setting. In 2013, he arranged ‘Champion’ by Austin ‘Super Blue’ Lyons for Invaders Youth Steel Orchestra, where they placed fifth (5th) at the National Junior Panorama Competition. Now At age twenty-three, (23) Jamal was granted the opportunity of competing at the National Panorama Competition, for the first time in the Small Category, arranging for Nu Tones Steel Orchestra, where they made it all the way to the semi final round of the competition. Jamal who is contented with what he has achieved this year and only wishes for bigger and better opportunities and outcomes, as long as he has the talent of arranging in him.
Following Jamal’s amazing talent, Tevin Shockness is an avid arranger where he produces interesting and mind blowing arrangements and compositions such as ‘Hold Me Close’, which was his composition for 2014. This composition was played be a very dynamic group of pan students called ‘Psycotones’. Tevin hopes on arranging for bands in a panorama setting and producing music for the world to see.
Lisa Goodridge is a loyal and dedicated member of Republic Bank Exodus. Pelham Goddard, pan arranger and composer for the band produced the song of choice for 2014, “Pan Is Carnival”, was sung by Independence and National Calypso Monarch Chucky Gordon. Lisa believes the popularity of this pair enabled the band to have their song heard before the competition thus aiding in getting the public in their corner.