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
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