Practice Flashcards

Bertram "Bertie" Marshall

The "tuner's tuner"

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Harmonic tuning pioneer
  • Introduced harmonic tuning in 1956 using octaves and overtones.
  • Helped give steelpan its bright, complex tonal quality.
  • First to amplify the steelpan electronically.
  • Helped develop the Double Tenor with Vincent Pompey.
  • Awarded the Chaconia Medal Gold and the Order of the Republic of T&T.
Anthony Williams

Captain and Tuner

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Layout Genius
  • Created the Spider Web tenor pan in 1953.
  • Shifted note layout toward the Circle of Fifths.
  • Helped standardize note arrangement on the steelpan.
  • Captained Pan Am North Stars, winners of the first Panorama in 1963.
  • Awarded the Chaconia Medal Gold and the Order of the Republic of T&T.
Dr. Ellie Mannette (1927-2018)

Father of the modern steelpan

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From Drum to Pan
  • First to use a discarded oil barrel to build a steelpan.
  • Sank the drum top into a concave playing surface.
  • Used firing to improve acoustic properties.
  • Founded Oval Boys, later Invaders Steel Orchestra.
  • Later taught pan building through West Virginia University's tuning project.
Jim "James" Phillip

r

Tuner, innovator, educato

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A Practical Inventor
  • Developed the Percussive Pan, also called the Guitar Pan, in 1986.
  • Used a guitar-like fretboard layout played with a pick.
  • Also created a bass version of the instrument.
  • Worked with UTT and international partners on pan education.
  • Recipient of the Rudolph Charles Pan Innovation Award.
Gerard "Gerald" Clarke (1943-present)

Steelpan tuner and maker

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Craft and Consistency
  • Known for crafting finely tuned pans.
  • Worked with bands including Desperadoes and Starlift.
  • Also worked with St. Joseph's Convent and St. Mary's College.
  • Tuner and maker for the British Philharmonic Steel Orchestra.
  • Supported pan education and research through educational institutions.
Augustus "Gusy" Peters

Double-tenor tuner and maker

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Global Tuning Hands
  • Founder of Augustus Peters Steelpans, known as APS.
  • Recognized as a premier tuner in the global steelpan industry.
  • Traveled as far as Japan and Canada to tune and maintain instruments.
  • Worked on major events including Caribana Festival.
  • Pan Trinbago acknowledged him in 2014 as one of the best tuners in the world.
Prof. Brian Copeland

Engineer and UWI professor

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Research Meets Pan
  • Convener of the UWI Steelpan Research Centre.
  • Coordinated the Steelpan Initiatives Project at UWI.
  • Helped develop and patent the G-Pan.
  • Helped develop the Percussive Harmonic Instrument (PHI pan), an electronic form of pan.
  • First recipient of the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in 2008.
Salmon Cupid
Salmon CupidDigital steelpan sounds

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The E-Pan Leap
  • Invented the Electronic Pan, or E-Pan, in the 2000s.
  • The E-Pan allows steelpan sounds to be played digitally.
  • It can be played with traditional pan sticks or MIDI controllers.
  • It expanded how pan could connect with electronic music and performance tools.
  • His work represents pan's move from acoustic to digital.
  • Musical director for the Toronto All Stars Steel Orchestra.
1940s-1950s

From Rhythm to Melody

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Steelpan Learns To Sing
  • Winston "Spree" Simon is credited with creating the first melody pan around 1945.
  • This allowed steelpan to play full tunes, not just rhythm.
  • Ellie Mannette refined the pan's shape and tuning methods.
  • Anthony Williams introduced the Spider Web pan in 1953.
  • This period established the steelpan as a melodic instrument.
1960s-1970s

The Panorama Effect

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Bigger Sound, Bigger Scores
  • National Panorama Competitionlaunched in 1963.
  • The competition made panyards rehearsal hubs for large-scale performance.
  • Arrangers pushed toward orchestral-style scoring.
  • Bertie Marshall advanced pan tuning with brighter harmonics.
  • Calypso and classical music entered large steelband arrangements.
2000s-2010s
The PHI Pan

Technology and modernization

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Pan Enters the Digital Age
  • The E-Pan emerged in the 2000s through Salmon Cupid's invention.
  • Digital scoring became part of the modern steelband workflow.
  • Amplification and recording technology entered panyards.
  • Research projects helped create instruments like the G-Pan and P.H.I.
  • Innovation expanded from hammer and ear to electronics and engineering.
2020s and Beyond

Hybrid and Global Pan

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Global Reach, New Forms
  • Virtual panyards connect diaspora audiences through livestreams.
  • Youth programmes encourage young arrangers and tuners to experiment.
  • Hybrid instruments blend pan with electronic music and fusion genres.
  • Steelpan festivals and competitions showcase Trinidad's innovation worldwide.
  • Pan remains both a cultural treasure and a modern musical force.
National Panorama

The World's Premier Steelband Competition

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Carnival's Famous Steelband Prize
  • Started in 1963 as a replacement for previous competitions.
  • National Panorama is held annually during Carnival season.
  • It is widely regarded as the most prestigious steelpan competition.
  • Bands compete in categories such as large, medium, and small bands.
  • Preliminaries happen in panyards, where judges visit bands directly.
  • Finals are held at Queen's Park Savannah on the Saturday before Carnival Monday.
Panorama Path

Panyard to Savannah

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How the Competition Builds
  • The competition begins in January with regional preliminary rounds held in the panyards.
  • The semi-finals and finals are held at the Queen's Park Savannah.
  • The finals typically take place on the Saturday before Carnival Monday, drawing large crowds and media attention.
  • Final arrangements are 8 minutes long, with performances showcasing players, arrangers, drama, and musical storytelling.
Pan Is Beautiful

Classical skill and versatility

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Beyond Panorama Tempo
  • Pan Is Beautiful focused on classical music, test pieces, and tunes of choice.
  • It demanded high technical skill and musical versatility.
  • The last earlier edition was held in 2013.
  • It returned in 2024 as Steelpan is More Beautiful.
  • Categories included single pan, ensemble, and orchestra.
World Steelpan Festival

5-11 August 2024

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Pan All Year Round
  • The inaugural World Steelpan Festival took place in Trinidad in August 2024.
  • The festival supports Pan Trinbago's goal of activity beyond Panorama season.
  • It culminates in World Steelpan Day celebrations on August 11.
Two Repertoire Challenges

Pan Down Memory Lane

Pan in the 21st Century

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Old Songs, New Songs, Pan Style
  • Pan in the 21st Century and Pan Down Memory Lane grew from concerts started in 1998.
  • Pan in the 21st Century is for conventional bands who must choose world music from 2000 onward.
  • Pan Down Memory Lane is for Single Pan steelbands who must play non-calypso tunes in calypso tempo.
  • Memory Lane selections must not come from the 21st century.
The Incredible Instrument

And all its parts

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Parts of A Pan
  • The skirt: longer skirt = lower pitch.
  • The belly: the concave, sunken underside of the drum that hangs below the skirt, lying directly beneath the playing surface and holding the notes.
  • The playing surface (the notes): bigger notes = lower pitch
The Barrel Below the Bowl

Skirt Length

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Longer skirt, lower pitch.
  • The skirt is the cylindrical section below the concave playing surface.
  • A deeper skirt creates a longer vibrating column of air.
  • Longer vibrating columns help produce lower pitches.
  • Bass pans use the entire 55-gallon barrel, while tenor pans are much shallower, with much shorter skirts.
Playing The Pan
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Sticks, Not Mallets
  • Pan sticks are wooden dowels with latex rubber tubing on the striking end.
  • Bass steelpan sticks use sponge balls for a softer, fuller strike.
The Ideal Raw Material
Oil drums stacked in a yard

55-gallon oil drum

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Why 18-Gauge Matters
  • A standard 55-gallon oil drum is about 23-24.5 inches wide and 33-35 inches high.
  • Higher gauge numbers mean thinner metal.
  • 18-gauge or 1.2mm steel is usually best for steelpan making.
  • Too-thin steel may not hold pitch.
  • Too-thick steel, like 16-gauge, may be too rigid to tune well.
Steel Thickness

Resonance, strength, and tuning

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Why It Matters
  • Proper thickness allows sinking and note shaping.
  • Good steel supports resonant overtones instead of dull sound.
  • The playing surface should hold tension after hammering and heating.
  • The bottom should not be less than about 1.2mm for best performance.
  • Sides may be slightly thinner to reduce instrument weight.
Convex Beginnings

The early pan shape

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Before the Concave Pan
  • Early players pounded pans from the inside out to create a convex playing surface.
  • The convex shape was part of the early experimental stage of pan making.
  • It limited the number of notes that could fit cleanly on the surface.
  • The later concave form became the standard modern design.
Concave Breakthrough
Ellie Mannette with oval boys

The modern steelpan bowl

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Why Concave Won
  • Ellie Mannette was first to pound the metal from outside in.
  • This created the concave steelpan shape used today.
  • The concave bowl allowed more notes on the playing surface.
  • It improved sound isolation between notes.
  • Mannette and Invaders debuted the new-style pans in Carnival 1947.
Start the Build

Good sound starts before tuning.

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First Build Steps
  • Select and clean a 55-gallon drum.
  • Remove residual oil and correct rim bends that can affect sound.
  • Cut the drum to the desired length for the pan type.
  • Mark the center of the drum head with a centre-punch.
  • The future skirt length depends on the voice of the pan being made.
Preparing for Sinking

Heat prepares the drum.

The circle guides the bowl.

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Fire and Steel
  • The drum is inverted and burned with a gas torch or open fire.
  • Heating prepares the metal for sinking and tuning.
  • The maker locates the dead-center of the drum.
  • A center circle is marked on the drum head.
  • That circle helps guide the shape of the sinking process.
Sinking the Pan

The flat drum becomes a bowl.

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Creating the Bowl
  • Sinking begins after marking an approximate 18-20cm circle.
  • The maker gradually works wider radii such as 16cm and 20cm.
  • A sledgehammer or pneumatic press can refine the bowl shape.
  • Work often moves in a spiral from outer circles toward the center.
  • The concave bowl increases surface tension for tuning.
Smoothing

A smoother bowl makes better notes.

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Refining the Surface
  • Smoothing follows the rough sinking process.
  • A medium-weight hammer is used to even out the surface.
  • The goal is a consistent, rounded bowl shape.
  • Uneven metal can make note-shaping and tuning harder.
  • Smoothing prepares the surface for marking and grooving.
Marking Notes

Each note needs its own space.

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Drawing the Musical Map
  • The tuner outlines note positions on the concave surface.
  • Chalk can be used to shape and separate the notes.
  • The note layout affects playability and tonal balance.
  • Good separation helps prevent one note from disturbing another.
  • Marking turns the blank bowl into a planned instrument.
Grooving

Boundaries for each note

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Defining the Notes
  • Grooving defines the notes on the playing surface.
  • A nail punch and hammer are used to make groove patterns.
  • Grooves help isolate each note area.
  • This improves clarity and reduces unwanted vibration between notes.
  • After grooving, the drum begins to look like a true steelpan.
Knocking Up

Tiny convex note surfaces

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Giving Notes Their Shape
  • After grooving, the drum is turned over.
  • The maker hammers each note area from the underside.
  • This creates a small convex surface for each note.
  • The note shape affects pitch, response, and tone color.
  • Knocking up is one of the fine craft stages before tuning.
Bad Drum Warning

Choose carefully.

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What to Avoid
  • Galvanized iron coating spoils the tone and should not be used.
  • Poor metal may have hard carbon-rich spots that burst during sinking.
  • Sharp dents and deep rust can crack when the metal is stretched.
  • Re-conditioned drums may have been burned clean, harming the metal.
  • Clear shiny metal suggests a new drum; grainy dull metal may be re-conditioned.
Tool Kit

Craft requires accurate measurement

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Tools of the Trade
  • Cutting may use an electric jigsaw or old cutlass and hammer.
  • Sinking uses gloves, marker, compass, 2.5-3kg hammer, and earmuffs.
  • Marking notes uses a flexible ruler and pen or marker.
  • Tuning needs large and plastic tuning hammers, a pan mallet, a good ear, and an electronic tuner.
  • Backing and grooving use metal punches, backing sledgehammer, and smoothing hammer.
What Is a Panyard?

More than just a rehearsal space

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The Heartbeat of Pan
  • Panyards are central hubs for music, community, and Carnival preparation.
  • They evolved from informal street gatherings into cultural institutions.
  • They preserve steelpan history while training new generations.
  • They are places for rehearsal, mentorship, performance, and belonging.
  • In Trinidad and Tobago, panyards symbolize resilience and national pride.
Post-WWII Origins
Tamboo-bamboo players

From wood to metal

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Early Panyard Roots
  • Steelpan grew out of tamboo-bamboo traditions during World War II (1939-45) .
  • Panyards formed in urban neighborhoods like Port of Spain, St. James, and Belmont.
  • Many early panyards were empty lots or street corners.
  • Young men experimented with discarded oil drums in these spaces.
  • These informal yards became vital Carnival rehearsal centers.
Early Struggles (1940s-1950s)

Stigma and survival

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Marginalized Beginnings
  • Early steelbands were often associated with violence and gang rivalry.
  • This reputation led to police crackdowns.
  • Despite the stigma, panyards remained important for Carnival preparation.
  • The struggle reflected wider class and community tensions.
  • Panyards helped steelpan move from suspicion toward cultural legitimacy.
Becoming An Institution (1960s-70s)

Permanent spaces and stronger bands

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Institutional Growth
  • In the 1960s and 1970s, bands began establishing more permanent spaces, often supported bylLocal communities and sponsors.
  • Pan pioneers such as Ellie Mannette and Winston "Spree" Simon refined instruments and tuning.
  • The panyard became a workshop, rehearsal room, and community landmark.
  • Steelpan gained increasing recognition as a national art form.
The Panorama Effect

Competition Raised the Stakes

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Panyards as training grounds
  • The first Panorama competition was held in 1963.
  • The competition elevated panyards into serious preparation spaces.
  • Large-scale arrangements required disciplined rehearsals.
  • Rivalry became increasingly musical rather than street-based.
  • Panorama helped turn panyard work into national spectacle.
Panyard as School (1980s-90s)

Learning by listening and doing

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Education in the Yard
  • Panyards became schools of music for younger generations.
  • Players learned pan technique, rhythm, discipline, and arranging.
  • Mentorship helped reduce youth involvement in crime.
  • Community elders passed on musical memory and band culture.
Professionalization

From Local Yard to Global Stage

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Tours, Tourism, Infrastructure
  • By the 1980s and 1990s, steelbands toured internationally.
  • Panyards became cultural attractions for visitors.
  • Many yards gained semi-permanent structures like rehearsal sheds and storage areas to help protect the instruments.
  • The panyard became part community base, part professional launchpad.
Modern Challenges (2000s-Present)

Funding, technology, preservation

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Modernization and Pressure
  • Panyards began using amplification, recording, and digital tools.
  • Many bands struggled with financial sustainability.
  • Government grants and sponsors became important sources of support.
  • Some panyards gained recognition as heritage sites.
  • Urban development pressure made community resilience even more important.
Hybrid Cultural Spaces (2020s-present)

Not just during Carnival season

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Year-Round Panyards
  • Some modern panyards serve as cultural centers.
  • They host workshops, concerts, and community events year-round.
  • Youth programmes keep the tradition moving forward.
  • Bands use livestreams and digital outreach to connect diaspora audiences.
  • The panyard now bridges tradition, education, and technology.
Panyard Geography

Where are panyards found today?

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Cultural Landmarks
  • Early panyards were common in Belmont, St. James, and Port of Spain.
  • As Panorama grew, formal panyards spread across Trinidad.
  • Today, many towns have panyards that serve as rehearsal spaces, youth training centers, and cultural landmarks.
  • The panyard map tells the story of pan's national reach.
Northern Panyards

A dense pan corridor

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Port of Spain and Laventille
  • BP Renegades: Renegades Way, Charlotte Street, Port of Spain.
  • WITCO Desperadoes: Desperadoes Pan Theatre, George Street, Port of Spain.
  • Courts Sound Specialists: La Paix Circular, Eastern Main Road, Laventille.
  • Highlanders: Eastern Main Road, Success Village, Laventille.
  • These yards connect city life, community identity, and pan excellence.
Regional Reach

Pan beyond Port of Spain

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Panyards Across the Country
  • Eastern examples include Birdsong Academy, Cordettes, SuperNovas, and Arima Golden Symphony.
  • Arouca Worship Centre Steel Orchestra is also listed in the eastern region.
  • Fonclaire Steel Orchestra represents San Fernando in the South/Central region.
  • Buccaneers, Redemption Sound Setters, and Uptown Fascinators are some of the bands representing Tobago.
  • The distribution shows pan as a national, not only urban, movement.
Steelband Clashes

Musical rivalry becomes street conflict

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Hotspots and Triggers
  • Steelband clashes were violent confrontations between rival pan groups.
  • They were most intense during the 1940s and 1950s.
  • Clashes often happened during Carnival in Port of Spain.
  • They involved arguments over women and territorial encroachments, community tensions, and fierce musical competition.
  • They were part of the movement's difficult path toward formal recognition.
  • Hotspots included Wrightson Road and French Street,nicknamed the "Gaza Strip" of Carnival because of frequent clashes.
Famous Clashes

When Rivals Met

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Why Clashes Erupted
  • Weapons included sticks, bottles, stones, and cutlasses.
  • Trigger points included Carnival parades and practice sessions.
  • Carib Tokyo and Invaders in 1950 at Green Corner, Port of Spain
  • Desperadoes and San Juan All Stars in 1959 on Charlotte St, Port of Spain
  • Casablanca and Invaders, 1950s(???), on ???
  • Southern Marines and the Gondoliers on Coffee Street, San Fernando, in 1963
Reform and Recognition

From clashes to competitions

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Turning Rivalry Into Excellence
  • In 1950, the National Association of Trinidad & Tobago Steelbandmen formed to promote unity and reduce violence.
  • In 1951, eleven top pannists were selected for the Festival of Britain.
  • Panorama and formal band structures later channeled rivalry into music.
  • Clashes gave way to organized competition and international recognition.
World Steelpan Thrust

What is WSTTT's mission?

Think development, opportunity, and steelpan.

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Mission in Motion
  • WSTTT creates and supports opportunities for sustainable steelpan development.
  • Its focus areas include manufacturing, education, entertainment, and therapy.
  • It also supports wider national development initiatives.
  • The organization treats pan as both cultural art and practical industry.
  • Its work connects local talent with national and international growth.
WSTTT Origins

Incorporated: 6 December 2019

Registered as a not-for-profit

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Founding Facts
  • WSTTT was incorporated on 6th December 2019.
  • It was registered as a not-for-profit entity later that year.
  • Its registered office is at 80 Roberts Street, Woodbrook, Port of Spain.
  • It received endorsement and support from Pan Trinbago's Executive on 6 January 2020.
  • That endorsement connected the organization to the formal steelpan movement.
Branding the National Instrument

Why does origin branding matter?

Pan belongs to Trinidad and Tobago.

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Identity and Protection
  • WSTTT aims to ensure the national steelpan is properly branded.
  • The goal is to clearly identify steelpan as originating from Trinidad and Tobago.
  • It also advocates stronger copyright controls.
  • Better protection helps artistes and creators safeguard their work.
  • Branding pan protects cultural ownership while building global recognition.
Steelpan Industry Goals

Workshops, tuning, manufacturing

Turning culture into infrastructure

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Building the Pan Economy
  • WSTTT wants workshops for refurbishing, tuning, and re-tuning pans.
  • It supports standardization of the steelpan with help from pannists and arrangers.
  • It wants training and certification to become more cohesive.
  • It aims to develop local manufacturing facilities.
  • Those facilities could supply both local and international markets.
Education and Youth

Pan belongs in the curriculum.

Training tomorrow's pannists

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From Panyard to Classroom
  • WSTTT lobbies for deeper steelpan education in schools.
  • It wants pan treated on par with mainstream musical instruments.
  • Standardized training can especially help interested youths.
  • The organization supports programmes that tackle barriers facing pan creatives.
  • The goal is stronger educational, empowerment, and professional pathways.
World Steelpan Day

UN declaration: 24 July 2023

Observed annually on August 11

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A Major Achievement
  • WSTTT helped obtain the UN General Assembly declaration of August 11 as International World Steelpan Day.
  • The declaration was made on 24 July 2023.
  • Then-Minister Randall Mitchell introduced the resolution at the 77th General Assembly.
  • The draft resolution received co-sponsorship from 84 UN member states.
  • The day gives pan an annual place on the UN calendar of events.
Birth of the Steelpan

Where did the steelpan begin?

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Born in Trinidad & Tobago
  • The steelpan was born in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930s.
  • It grew from Afro-Trinidadian Carnival traditions.
  • Its story moves from bamboo percussion to metal bands to tuned steel pans.
  • It symbolizes resilience, creativity, and cultural pride.
  • Today it is celebrated globally, including through World Steelpan Day.
African Drumming Roots

1700s-1800s

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Carnival Memory
  • Enslaved Africans brought strong drumming traditions to Trinidad.
  • After emancipation in 1834-1838, percussion became important in Carnival.
  • Colonial authorities often restricted African-type drumming.
  • Communities kept rhythm alive through adaptation and invention.
  • That pressure helped shape new Carnival sound-makers.
Tamboo Bamboo

1890s Carnival street music

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Before Metal Bands
  • Tamboo bamboo ensembles emerged in the 1890s.
  • Players used bamboo sticks of different lengths.
  • The bamboo parts imitated musical voices like soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.
  • They became central to Carnival street music.
  • They directly influenced the later steelband movement.
The Switch to Metal

Louder, sturdier sound.

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From Bamboo to Scrap Metal
  • Tamboo-bamboo tubes broke after repeated pounding on the ground.
  • In the 1930s, players began using metal household items.
  • Early metal sounds came from soap boxes, biscuit tins, paint cans, and dustbin lids.
  • Old vehicle brake drums and other discarded metal items added louder resonance.
  • These experiments produced the modern steelpan's "engine room".
Metal Bands

1930s-1940s

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The Loud New Carnival Sound
  • Metal bands replaced bamboo with found metal objects.
  • The instruments were louder and more resonant than bamboo.
  • Players experimented with tone, pitch, and rhythm.
  • This period created a bridge between percussion noise and tuned melody.
  • The steelband grew from these street-level experiments.
Dr. Ellie Mannette

A key modern steelpan innovator

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From Noise to Notes
  • Innovators like Ellie Mannette helped shape the modern steelpan.
  • They hammered and tuned oil drum surfaces to create distinct pitches.
  • This made steel instruments capable of melody, not just rhythm.
  • Tuning experiments helped organize steelbands musically.
  • The modern pan was born through practical trial, skill, and ear.
Organized Steelbands

1940s-1950s

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Formal Development
  • By the 1940s and 1950s, steelbands became more organized.
  • Instruments were tuned to scales.
  • Steelbands could now play melodies and harmonies.
  • The instrument moved beyond raw street percussion.
  • This set the stage for concerts, festivals, and international tours.
Beyond Carnival

Pan embraces the classics.

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A Global Instrument Emerges
  • From the 1950s onward, steelpan gained recognition beyond Carnival.
  • It entered concert halls and international festivals.
  • The steelband became a national cultural ambassador.
  • Pan music spread through migration and touring.
  • What began in the street became a global performance tradition.
National Instrument

A long journey to official recognition

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Official Recognition
  • In 1992, then-Prime Minister Patrick Manning recognised the steelpan the official national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.
  • This recognized pan as a major cultural achievement, affirming the instrument's local roots and national importance.
  • Pan became a symbol of Trinidad and Tobago's creative identity.
  • On 3 July 2024, the steelpan was formally declared as the National Musical Instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.
World Steelpan Day

Officially on the United Nations' calendar

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Global Cultural Recognition
  • In 2023, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed August 11 as World Steelpan Day.
  • The date highlights the steelpan's global cultural significance.
  • It celebrates Trinidad and Tobago's national instrument.
  • It also recognizes the communities that carried pan worldwide.
  • The day helps keep steelpan history visible to new generations.
Global Spread

Migration carried steelpan culture worldwide

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Pan Around the World
  • Steelpan spread internationally through Trinidadian migration.
  • Carnival culture helped carry pan to new audiences.
  • London's Notting Hill Carnival became an important stage.
  • Competitions like Panorama helped showcase steelband excellence.
  • Today pannists perform and study pan across the world.
Nellie Bly

Produced that fateful oil drum

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An Unexpected Link
  • Elizabeth J. Cochran Seaman was better known as Nellie Bly.
  • She was a famous journalist and world traveler.
  • Her Iron Clad Manufacturing Company made practical steel barrels that helped solve problems in oil storage and shipping.
  • Those industrial drums later became central to steelpan history.
The Bayonne Barrel Problem

Fixing the leakage issue.

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Why Steel Drums Mattered
  • By 1900, oil production was expanding rapidly around the world.
  • Wooden oil barrels were heavy and not fully leakproof.
  • Oil companies needed durable, manageable, leak-resistant containers.
  • Standard Oil introduced a steel 42-gallon drum in 1902, but it was flawed.
  • The later 55-gallon steel drum became the pan-maker's raw material.
Henry Wehrhahn

Machinist and superintendent

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The Drum Design
  • Henry Wehrhahn worked for Nellie Bly's Iron Clad Manufacturing Company.
  • He received patents that led to the modern steel barrel.
  • His design included straight sides, rolling hoops, and secure closures.
  • He assigned the patent to Nellie Bly.
  • The drum shape is close to the configuration still used today.
Why Trinidad?

A happy accident.

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The Perfect Conditions
  • Oil was discovered in southern Trinidad in 1866.
  • By the early 1900s, several oil companies operated in the country.
  • Trinidad supplied over 1 million barrels of oil to Britain in 1914.
  • Empty 55-gallon drums became plentiful around ports and roadsides.
  • Carnival musicians turned available industrial waste into music.
From Oil Drum to Steelpan

Industrial steel became musical steel.

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From Container to Instrument
  • Players cut cross-sections from 55-gallon metal containers.
  • They indented the metal surface to create note areas.
  • They tempered and tuned the surface to different pitches.
  • Different lengths and shapes supported different pan voices.
  • The modern pan is usually traced to around 1939 in Trinidad.
World War II Trinidad

"Naval Base Trinidad"

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Wartime Context
  • World War II intensified Trinidad's importance as an oil supplier.
  • By late 1941, Trinidadian oil supported British airplanes and ships.
  • The US established over 200 bases in Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Important sites included Chaguaramas, Docksite, and Wallerfield.
  • The wartime oil economy helped make steel drums widely available.
Carnival Ban

1939-1945.

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A Delayed Debut
  • Carnival celebrations were banned during World War II.
  • The wartime ban lasted from 1939 to 1945.
  • Because of this, steelbands did not appear on the road immediately.
  • The first road appearance of steelbands came in 1947.
  • That moment helped launch steelband visibility in public Carnival space.
TASPO

Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra

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A Historic Steelband
  • Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra was formed to attend the Festival of Britain in 1951.
  • Its members came from various steelbands who often clashed in the streets.
  • TASPO was the first steelband whose instruments were all made from oil drums.
  • TASPO helped present Trinidad's pan innovation internationally, marking a major step in pan's global recognition.
Sterling Betancourt, MBE
Sterling Betancourt

1930-2026

Last surviving TASPO player

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Sterling Betancourt
  • Played tamboo-bamboo for the Bowen Band from Laventille.
  • Played tenor pan for Tripoli steelband; Captain and Tuner for Crossfire steelband.
  • Helped carry steelpan to international audiences through TASPO's 1951 Festival of Britain tour.
  • Helped form the Russell Henderson Calypso Band in 1964. The trio was the first steelband in Europe.
  • Only steelband to perform at inaugural Notting Hill Carnival in 1965.
  • Leader, player, and arranger of the Nostalgia Steelband from 1985-2005
  • Received T&T's Scarlet Ibis Award in 1993 and Membership of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) from England in 2002.
The Pan-Maker's Raw Material

That fateful oil drum

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55-Gallon Drum Facts
  • A standard 55-gallon drum is about 35 inches tall.
  • Its diameter is about 23 inches.
  • It is usually made from low-carbon 18-gauge steel.
  • It has reinforced rolling hoops and double-seamed top and bottom edges.
  • Closures may be tight head for liquids or open head for solids and thick pastes.
Steelpan Classification

Is the steelpan a drum?

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Tuned Hybrid Percussion
  • The steelpan is classified as a tuned hybrid percussion instrument.
  • It is NOT a drum because

    (1) each note area acts like a separate vibrating head and

    , (2) the playing surface is metal, not skin..
  • The steelpan is an idiophone: An idiophone is an instrument whose body vibrates to produce sound.
  • Other idiophones include bells, gongs, rattles, and maracas.
Hornbostel-Sachs Classification System

Groups musical instruments by how they produce sound

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Sound Families
  • Created by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs in 1914.
  • Uses a decimal-style system, similar to library cataloguing.
  • Main groups include idiophones, membranophones, chordophones, aerophones, and electrophones.
  • The steelpan belongs with idiophones because its own body vibrates when the notes are struck.
  • The system continues to be revised as new instruments are added.
Octave

Same note name, higher or lower register

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Twice the Vibration
  • An octave is the interval between two notes where one vibrates at twice the frequency of the other.
  • Octaves help organize note ranges across the steel orchestra.
  • They also make melodies feel connected across high and low pans.
  • On pan, octave awareness helps players find matching notes in different registers.
Musical Scale

A ladder of notes from one note to its octave

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Scala Means Ladder
  • A scale is a consecutive series of notes moving between a note and its octave.
  • The word scale comes from the Latin scala, meaning ladder.
  • A heptatonic scale has seven pitches per octave.
  • Examples of heptatonic scales include diatonic, melodic minor, harmonic minor, and harmonic major scales.
  • Scales give pannists a map for melody, harmony, and improvisation.
Chromatic Scale

Also called a Dodecatonic Scale

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Twelve-Step Color
  • Uses all 12 notes in the octave.
  • The interval between adjacent notes is a semitone.
  • It includes every pitch used in Western music.
  • Chromatic movement can add tension, surprise, and colour to pan arrangements.
  • It helps players understand sharps, flats, and key changes.
The Clefs

Two signs for reading pitch

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Reading the Staff
  • Clefs help pan sections fit together like one full orchestra.
  • The treble clef is also called the G clef because its curl starts on G.
  • The bass clef is also called the F clef because its curl starts on F.
  • Higher pans often read treble clef parts.
  • Lower pans may read bass clef parts, especially in arranged scores.
Seven Elements of Music

What makes a piece feel complete?

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The Full Musical Toolkit
  • Melody: the musical line of the piece.
  • Harmony: notes played together to support the melody.
  • Rhythm: the pattern of beats and time.
  • Form: how the music is developed and arranged.
  • Timbre: sound quality of individual notes
  • Dynamics: volume
  • Texture: how many layers of sound at one time.
Circle of Fourths and Fifths

From Ancient Greece to T&T

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The Spider Web Pan
  • A visual representation of 12 musical keys and their relationships
  • Discovered by Ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras.
  • Pan Am North Stars tuner Anthony Williams applied the Circle of Fifths layout to the tenor pan in 1953.
  • Adjacent notes were placed in intervals of fifths going counterclockwise and fourths going clockwise.
  • Its web-like surface inspired the name "Spider Web Pan."
  • The layout helps players find key signatures, chords, and note relationships quickly.
Own-Tune Pioneers

1950s - Present.

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Music Made for Pan
  • Ray Holman opened the door for composing specifically for pan, with Ray's Saga for Invaders in 1961.
  • In 1972, Starlift placed third at Panorama with Holman's Pan on the Move.
  • Len "Boogsie" Sharpe was the first to win Panorama with an “own tune”, This Feeling Nice in 1987
  • Exodus won Panorama with Pelham Goddard's original composition, A Happy Song in 2001.
Lord Kitchener

The steelbands' favorite musician

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The Grandmaster of Pan
  • Aldwyn Roberts, known as Lord Kitchener, is ranked among the calypsonians most played by steelbands.
  • His songs include "Pan in A Minor," "Bees Melody," and "Pan in Harmony."
  • His melodies suited the staccato and rhythmic character of steelpans.
  • Steelbands loved how his compositions carried clear musical structure.
  • His work remains central to the story of music written for pan.
Merle Albino-de Coteau

First female Panorama arranger

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Trailblazing Arranger
  • Began arranging in 1969 with Chase Manhattan Bank Savoys.
  • Panorama first: Arranged Mighty Sparrow's "Mas in May" in 1972.
  • Arranged for Mt. Hope Junior Secondary, Music Makers, and Pan Handlers Steel Orchestra.
  • Music Director of Music Makers, a school founded over 30 years ago.
  • Recipient of the Humming Bird Medal, Sunshine Award, and Kwanzaa Award.
Natasha Joseph

Composer, Arranger, Drill Master, Player

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Learning by Fire
  • Fast start: Began arranging for her school band within three months of learning pan.
  • Joined San Juan's Potential Symphony for the 1992 Panorama season.
  • Served as Potential Symphony's Drill Master from 1994 to 1997.
  • Toured with the Panazz Players, winners of a 1997 Sunshine Award.
  • Worked closely with Phase II and Len "Boogsie" Sharpe from 2007.
Pat Bishop

Educator, director, artist, cultural icon

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The First Lady of Pan
  • One of the first women to arrange music specifically for steel orchestras.
  • Worked with bands including Birdsong, Desperadoes, Pandemonium, and Phase II.
  • Brought classical training into steelband arrangements and performance practice.
  • Founded Lydian Steel Ensemble in 1995 to accompany the Lydian Singers Choir that she also directed.
  • Co-founded the Schools Steelband Music Festival in 1981.
  • Received the Humming Bird Gold Medal, an honorary UWI doctorate, and the Trinity Cross.
Girl Pat Steel Orchestra

First female steel orchestra in T&T

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Barrier Breakers
  • Founded in 1951: Started by Hazel Henly with students from Bishop Anstey High School.
  • First known as the White Stars, then renamed Girl Pat after a yacht in Chaguaramas.
  • Used pans borrowed from Invaders Steel Orchestra in Woodbrook.
  • Ellie Mannette taught the band, with support from Beryl McBurnie of Little Carib Theatre.
  • Helped break both gender and class barriers in the steelband movement.
Hazel Henly

Teacher, pianist, Girl Pat founder

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Making Space for Women in Pan
  • Gathered Bishop Anstey students in 1950 to learn steelpan.
  • Opened her Newtown home as a space for teaching, practice, and performance preparation.
  • Worked with Marjorie Boothman and Invaders captain Ellie Mannette.
  • Helped launch Girl Pat Steel Orchestra in 1951.
  • Honored by the Sunshine Awards Hall of Fame in New York in 1999.
Kim Loy Wong

19?? – 2008?

Born and raised in Laventille, Port of Spain

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Kim Loy Wong
  • First Captain of Hylanders/Highlanders Steel Orchestra in the 1950s.
  • Profession: ???
  • Responsible for: ???
  • Migrated to Canada in 1959.
Henry Carrington

19?? – 20??

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Henry Carrington
  • Tuner and arranger for Highlanders in the 1960s?
  • Etc.
  • Etc.
The Marshall Era

A defining Highlanders leader

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Bertie Marshall Takes Charge
  • Kim Loy Wong left in 1959, and Bertie Marshall assumed leadership.
  • Marshall became Highlanders' captain and tuner.
  • He is remembered as one of pan's major innovators and pioneers.
  • His leadership shaped Highlanders' distinctive sound.
  • He also became known as a legendary bandleader and arranger.
Highlanders Sound

A band with a signature voice

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What Made Them Different
  • Highlanders were known for heavy bass and ringing high tenors.
  • The band became one of the most unique steelbands of its era.
  • Bertie Marshall's innovations included the double tenor and high tenor.
  • The band was among the first to feature an amplified tenor.
  • Franklyn Olivierra played the amplified tenor that became part of the band's legend.
The Bomb Tune

Classical music with steelband fire

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A Carnival Calling Card
  • In the 1960s and 1970s, Bomb tunes were a major steelband tradition.
  • Steelbands would "drop the Bomb" on J'Ouvert morning.
  • Highlanders were a perennial favorite in the Bomb competitions.
  • Their memorable selections included "Let Every Valley be Exalted" and "Gypsy Rondo."
  • These performances showed how pan could transform classical music.
Every Valley, 1965

A landmark Bomb victory

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Number-One Impact
  • In 1965, Highlanders won first place in the Bomb competition.
  • The band played Handel's "Every Valley Shall be Exalted" from Messiah.
  • Franklyn Olivierra performed on Bertie Marshall's amplified high tenor.
  • The released recording topped Radio Guardian's top ten list for an unusually long time.
  • The performance became one of the most remembered Bomb moments in pan history.
From J'Ouvert to Church

A sacred-space first for steelband

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Pan in the Cathedral
  • The 1965 "Every Valley" performance was heard by Rev. Fr. John Sewell.
  • He invited Highlanders to perform at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port of Spain.
  • This made Highlanders the first steelband to perform in a religious building in Trinidad.
  • The band played alongside the Cathedral's choir.
  • The band and choir were later featured on Highlanders' second RCA album.
Mid-60s Momentum

Sponsorship and strong results

Forsyth Shirts and REED Trinidad

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A Productive Period
  • Highlanders had sponsorship from Forsyth Shirts and later REED Trinidad Limited.
  • Corporate support and community backing strengthened the band.
  • The 1965 Bomb victory was followed by a third-place Panorama finish in 1966.
  • In 1966, Highlanders played Mighty Sparrow's "Obeah Wedding" for Panorama.
  • In 1967, they placed second in Bomb with Rossini's "Italian Girl in Algiers."
Honoring the Legacy

Early 2000s revival

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Revival and Recognition
  • After Marshall left in the early 1970s, the band's fortunes declined.
  • Former members and supporters revived Highlanders in the early 2000s.
  • A 2003 panyard ceremony honored Bertie Marshall.
  • Cabinet approved renaming Old St. Joseph Road on 26 September 2013.
  • The Bertie Marshall Boulevard sign was unveiled on 17 October 2013.
Highlanders' Pan Theatre

Looking to the future

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Pan Develops Community
  • On 27 July 2018, Highlanders signed a 99-year lease with National Petroleum.
  • The lease secures tenancy of the panyard until July 2117.
  • Construction of a modern Pan Theatre and Music Institute began in 2019.
  • The facility was completed and formally opened in December 2023.
  • It supports classrooms, homework help, and after-school music literacy training.
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