Three Panorama champs in 2004

FOR THE first time this year there will be three National Panorama champions in the small, medium and large categories.

This was one of several new innovations announced by Pan Trinbago President Patrick Arnold yesterday at the organisation’s launch of events for 2004 at the Hilton Trinidad. Arnold said the decision to increase the number of pan champions was based on the fact that only a few bands had benefitted from Panorama since its inception in 1963. Another competition change is the reduction in the playing time for Conventional Bands from ten to eight minutes. Arnold said this is being done to fit all the finalists on a CD, and to avoid the cutting of a band’s live performance as was the case in 2003. The playing time for single pan bands has been reduced to six minutes.

Preliminary judging of Conventional Bands takes place from January 29 to February 1, while single pan bands will be judged on February 5, 6, and 7. The national semi-finals for large and medium Conventional Bands takes place at the Queen’s Park Savannah on February 8. On February 14, the single pan bands’ semi-finals will take place at City Hall, Port-of-Spain There will be three final nights — February 12 at the Arima Velodrome for single pan bands, February 19 at Skinner Park, San Fernando, for small bands, and the Queen’s Park Savannah, for large and medium sized Conventional Bands.

Arnold took the opportunity to urge bands to treat the public with respect when they get to the savannah to perform, as well as to cut down on the big gaps between performances. This year will see the return of the popular J’Ouvert morning Bomb Competition where steelbands will be required to play a classical song in a calypso tempo. The venue for this event will be Hart Street, Port-of-Spain. Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams, who spoke at the launch, expressed her support for the steelband body: “Pan Trinbago is one brave group who takes their ideas and go forward.” One of the highlights of yesterday’s launch was the honouring of pan composer Ray Holman who was presented with a commemorative plaque for his contributions to the steelband movement.