Republic Bank Exodus will be the first band on stage as the National Steelband Music Festival Pan Is Beautiful XII enters the Conventional Orchestra preliminary round. Fourteen steel orchestras are slated to compete over a period of two days, ie October 19-20, at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
Each orchestra is required to play the test piece–Mr Pan Maker–composed by Dr Leroy (Black Stalin) Calliste and a piece of choice. The latter will not only test the skill of the player, but will also highlight the beauty and versatility of the national instrument.
It is to be played in accordance with the musical score "as submitted by the orchestra and to be performed for a period not exceeding 12 minutes with the total playing time of each orchestra not exceeding 18 minutes."
Orchestra in this instance means any combination of pan players/musicians playing steelpan instruments and "that such a combination contains no less than 35 musicians and no more than 50 players, inclusive of rhythm."
Ticket info:
Advanced tickets are priced at $100 on each day, and are on sale at Cleve's Frederick Street, Crosby's St James, Kam's Long Circular Mall, and at Pan Trinbago's Head Office, Park Street, Port-of-Spain.
Playing positions
October 19
Show time: 6 pm
1. Republic Bank Exodus
2. T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps
3. Clico Sforzata
4. San City Steel Symphony
5. Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille
6. bp Renegades
7. Codrington Pan Family
October 20
Show time: 5 pm
8. CAL Invaders
9. Diatonic
10. NGC Couva Joylanders
11. Pan Elders
12. UWI Festival
13. Sangre Grande Cordettes
14. NGC La Brea Nightingales
Four adjudicators, inclusive of an alternate, will officiate at competition.