Esther Batson - Women's Month - Their Voice, Their Life, Their Dreams, Their Passion, Their Story

-

 


"...the biggest challenge facing women in pan is the public not realizing - or not accepting them yet; although they enjoy it [pan music]. When they have their programs they do not attend... so the finance is not there. And they would attend foreigners' [performances].... They won't [attend the pan performances] because you see they can walk into a panyard and watch them practice....So that is the greatest challenge - to get the public to realize - here is an artform, and they should pay for it. So they [pan players] practice freely, until the wee hours of the morning, and get no remuneration.  -- Esther Batson

Music Educator Esther Batson was one of the stalwarts in the steelband culture of Trinidad and Tobago, and adjudicated steelband competitions internationally. Ms. Batson passed away on June 18, 2010 in Trinidad.

Responsible for the mentoring and development of several of the country’s noted steelpan talents, it was Ms. Batson’s initiative of cultural exchanges which eventually resulted in the steelband program at the University of Miami. Her daughter Dr. Dawn Batson, was the Visual and Performing Arts Chair at the Florida Memorial University (FMU), and also the Director of FMU’s steel band program.  Dr. Batson is currently an Educational and Cultural Consultant.





Merle Albino-de Coteau, Esther K. Batson, Dr. Dawn Batson - Composers, Arrangers, Educators

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Champion Panorama Drummer - Michael “Toby” Tobas - 1970 - Desperadoes Steel Orchestra

-
Image
Michael “Toby” Tobas Michael “Toby” Tobas with Desperadoes - Panorama 1970 Profile: Calypso / soca drums and percussion player Drummer and percussionist from Trinidad & Tobago. Played with Clive Zanda, Mighty Sparrow, Harry Belafonte. Clarence Curvan Orchestra, Hugh Hendricks & The Buccaneers, The Equitables and  Desperadoes Steel Orchestra Michael “Toby” Tobas Michael “Toby” Tobas is one of the premier percussionists from Trinidad, and from the 1960s onwards, he has led the way in Trinidad in earning a living as a working musician via performances, recordings and touring, and has been at the forefront of major developments in modern Trinidad music. He toured internationally with Harry Belafonte for five years (1972-1977) appearing on two recordings with Belafonte: Turn the World Around and Belafonte Live...
Read more

When Steel Talks extends condolences to the family and friends of scholar, educator and panist Devon Cumberbatch

-
Image
Sincere condolences to the  Pan Lara, P an Evolution, Pan Masters and   Skiffle family, and the pan fraternity on the whole on the passing of  Devon Cumberbatch . Devon Cumberbatch “I would love for the instrument to be as mainstream as the piano, guitar or violin. It may have a ways to go, being a fairly young creation, but I believe pan can progress, develop and infiltrate music of all cultures. I would love to see it as an instrument for all peoples, and universally accepted. The history of the pan is just as important as the future where it can potentially end up and blossom.” -  Devon Cumberbatch    Related content:  Meet Devon Cumberbatch - Maryland ,   Details for Devon’s funeral:   Funeral Service is on February 8th at 12pm. Viewing starts at 11am. Capitol Memorial SDA Church 3150 Chesapeake St, NW Washington, DC 20008 Devon Cumberbatch SA
Read more

When Steel Talks (WST) extends Happy Birthday greetings to panists Jabari Sharpe & Jahi Sharpe

-
Image
  Jabari Sharpe & Jahi Sharpe Happy Birthday to Jabari Sharpe & Jahi Sharpe March 28th When Steel Talks extends Birthday Greetings to panists, Jabari Sharpe & Jahi Sharpe Relevant content Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra - Performance at BSO’s ‘Pan Is Sweet’ competition Relevant videos Pantonic Steel Orchestra - My House "Hideaway" - Tessanne Chin - Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra Let Me Love You - Pan Evolution Steel Orchestra - BSO - Special - "Pan Is Sweet"
Read more

Obituary of Musician Beverly Ruthven Griffith

-
Image
  Beverly Griffith After a courageously fought battle with several illnesses, Beverly R. Griffith of Deerfield Beach, Florida passed away on April 19, 2022. Beverly was born on April 18, 1941 in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago. He was predeceased by his mother Helena (Holder) Griffith, father Herman Griffith and brother Selwyn Griffith. He leaves behind his devoted and loving wife, Pamela Burns, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, his son Gerrard Griffith of New York, his daughter Tara and granddaughter Victoria Lambe of South Carolina, his beloved step-daughter Alissa Bankert of Rhode Island and his sister June Jensen of Florida. Beverly graduated from St. Anne’s College in Trinidad and Tobago and Brooklyn College in New York. Beverly was a Social Worker in New York and Florida. He worked with ailing seniors, needy children and adults addicted to drugs and alcohol. Beverly’s first and most fervent passion was music. Early on as a pianist, he formed the Clarence Curvan ...
Read more

The History of Steelband in Grenada - UpClose!

-
Image
  Hell Cats Steelband of Grenada - picture provided by Lincoln DePradine “There were lots of guys who went to Trinidad. Some remained in T&T. Among the ones who came back and were in the early steelband movement in Grenada was a fella named Willan Dewsbury. He was part of the Grenada steelband called Hell Cats (he’s the guy holding the flag in the photo - mid 1950s). He later became an MP and served as Minister of Culture. He passed away a couple years ago [May 7, 2016].” -- Lincoln DePradine read more
Read more

Patron of the Arts Artistic Bursary 2023 designed to assist aspiring panists across the Caribbean and beyond

-
Image
The Artistic Bursary 2023 award is designed to assist aspiring panists across the Caribbean and beyond in pursuing studies leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in the Performing Arts (BFA) with specialisation in Music (Steelpan) or the Advanced Pan Fellowship Program Certificate at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT).  The Award  The award will provide three (3) individual grants of USD$5000 to the first prize winner, USD$3000 to the second prize winner, and USD$2000 to the third prize winner. These amounts are to assist in covering the cost of tuition, travel, accommodation and course material for their first year of study.
Read more

Watch Now -- Pan On D Avenue IX in 2023 - Live Stream

-
Image
  Pan On D Avenue IX in 2023 - Live Stream Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. -  On Saturday August 26, 2023, pan-lovers can enjoy Pan music to the fullest from multiple steel orchestras, via Pan On D Avenue IX.  Start time is 6:00 p.m. in Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain, and the route is along Ariapita Avenue. Performances are being live streamed by Radicle Tube. see live stream
Read more

The Story of Steelbands and the Steelband Art Form in St. Lucia - UpClose!

-
Image
Silver tones” - Saint Lucia’s first all-female steel pan group -- photo:  Lucius Alexander  When Steel Talks The Story of Steelbands and the Steelband Art Form in St. Lucia - UpClose! St. Lucia, W.I. - The history of Steel pan in Saint Lucia dates much farther back than Saint Lucia’s independence, even farther than many today can recall vividly enough to attribute its introduction to any one individual. However various names are almost always spoken with respect to this. Lennard “Scrub” Wellington, Augustus “Pan” Andrew are two very instrumental names in the history pan music in Saint Lucia soon to be followed by Roderick Walcott, Antonius “Sycra” Gibson, the Emmanuel brothers, Ivan Smith and more recently with individuals such ac Allison Marquis. The influence and substantive importance of this art form to Saint Lucia is vastly understated by the silence of blank sheets of history or small scribbles here and there in photo albums arid notebooks of the valiant patriots of th...
Read more