Desperadoes’ managing director wants more love for steelpan in T&T

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Trinidad and Tobago Newsday



Members of Desperadoes Steel Orchestra’s new board of directors

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Over the past few weeks, the steelpan has been in the global spotlight.

On Sunday, a steelpan version of the T&T National Anthem was heard twice around Birmingham, England, as Jereem Richards, and then this country’s 4x400 men’s relay team, collected their Commonwealth Games gold medals.

And last month, the steelpan was featured as a Google Doodle on the 71st anniversary of the Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra’s (TASPO) performance at the Festival of Britain, which introduced the steelpan and a new music genre to the world.

But while there is no denying that the steelpan has been accepted and acclaimed globally, the managing director of the orchestra with the most Panorama titles believes more needs to be done for the instrument locally.

“The steelpan has reached global already but the problem I have is that not much is being done in T&T for the steelpan, not the steelbands, the actual instrument,” Desperadoes’ Lyndon Spencer said.

“I think many people appreciate the steelpan much more outside of T&T than actually in T&T. I know they are trying but I think more can be done for the instrument.”


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