Buckinghamshire Schools Celebrate 40years of the Steelpan Instrument in UK Schools
On Sunday 4th October, sounds of the Steelpan Instrument with Caribbean and contemporary music burst through the Wycombe Swan Theatre. People from across the UK packed into the Wycombe Swan to listen to a wide range of music performed on the Steelpan instrument to mark the instrument’s 40th year in UK schools.
Guest performances included Europe’s no 1 Panorama champion “Ebony steelband” along side the only UK traditional Pan Around the Neck “Nostalgia steelband”, with Warwickshire Steelpan academy, and our very own “Wycombe Steel Orchestra” bringing the house down with a medley as their tribute to Michael Jackson.
London Jazz Café Artistes from the “Get Familyah group – “Floetic Lara”, “JOLando”, and “Fuse” performed outstanding poetry and song. Bucks Schools included Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School from Aylesbury and Sir William Ramsay School in High Wycombe.
Local performers were XC’s Band, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Everod Cottoy, Clinton Jack, and Robert Parris.
Guest speaker Gerald Forsyth who started the Steelpan instrument into the first school in London, gave a brief talk about his journey with the Steelpan instrument, and congratulated SV2G and the UK Steelpan Educators and Teachers Association for bringing so many bands under one roof with Schools in Bucks to celebrate this historic achievement that has been growing from strength to strength.
Earlier this summer, High Wycombe made history hosting the first ever graded examinations in the UK with the University of West Indies and the Associated Board for the Royal School of Music.
Prof. Ruth Farwell from Bucks New University added, “We have hosted the Wycombe Community Festival, and other events organised be SV2G, and are delighted to have supported the Steelpan Festival, and not just because it was organised by one of our graduates!”
ENDS.
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