The National Cultural Foundation has assisted the music departments of three secondary schools across the island with access to steel pans for his or her students.
Singing and the playing of certain wind instruments in groups was restricted in schools the world over so as to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This also affected students in Barbados, leaving them without the technique of completing their music practicals during this time.
Nevertheless, the NCF made a conscious decision to help the Alleyne School, St. Leonard’s Boys’ School and the Christ Church Foundation School with the usage of the NCF’s steel pans to help their music students with their practicals.
A complete of forty-two pans have been gifted to the colleges with each school receiving six tenor pans, two double tenor pans, two double second pans, two double guitar pans and two 4-cello pans.
Cultural Officer, Music Education, Kevin Moore said: “This project allows for the continued growth and expansion of the notable music programs in these schools. Adding the element of pans within the classroom may also profit your entire student population.
“Inside just a few years, your entire student body of those schools would have had access to a real-world instrument within the classroom, improving their musical literacy and creating viable vocational opportunities for individuals who take it seriously.
“It augurs well for the revival of the steelpan inside the Barbadian community, as it would work hand in hand with the recently re-launched Barbados National Steel Orchestra, in ensuring that there are opportunities available for these students to excel.”
Steelpan sessions will occur throughout the allotted class music session with their music teachers where students will learn concerning the design of the pan and the fundamentals of making a very good sound on the steelpan.
An extracurricular school component may also be included for those students captivated with the instrument and all in favour of furthering their craft more.
During these sessions, students will concentrate on creating and developing sound as a gaggle. Regionally renowned pan ace Mark Forde has been chosen to spearhead the in-school aspect of this project through his duties as Assistant Musical Director of the Barbados National Steel Orchestra.
Students who excel within the steel pan may also have the chance to turn out to be a member of the Barbados
National Steel Orchestra spearheaded by the National Cultural Foundation. (PR)
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