Chinese pan students visit Laventille Steelband Fest

The Chinese school was invited to witness the Laventille Steelband Festival Street parade which was held yesterday.

This was in an effort to forge a strong relationship with a complementary school programme in Trinidad and Tobago.

The entourage of 23, included 16 high school students, parents and teachers, all of whom would return home today (Monday).

New links have been forged as steel pan instruments were in demand in the Chinese market, and were being facilitated the Trinidad and Tobago Embassy in Beijing. Panland has been supplying pans to China since June, this year.

The Ritan High School has expressed an interest in developing its pan programme, and hoped that this trip to TT would broaden their understanding of the steel pan, and its origin.

It was hoped that a relationship would be forged between the Success/ Laventille Secondary School, which had been selected to host this exchange based on their experience as cultural ambassadors and a well established music programme.

Visual and performing arts tutor, arranger and director for Success Stars Pan Sounds, Mickiel Gabriel, said they were very interested in the twinning of the both schools and seeing the benefits they both could achieve.

A member of Friends of Success Laventille, Nicholas Cumberbatch, said this was more than just steel pan, but more of a cultural experience.

Reigning Panorama champions Desperadoes had the Eastern Main Road, in Laventille, in a frenzy when they performed their winning piece “Different Me”.

They immediately went into “Different Me” sending the crowd into a frenzy. People were dancing and singing in response to the players who were also enjoying their performance just as much. Chairman of the Laventille Steelband Festival Foundation (LSFF) Michael Cooper said that the event does not get major media coverage but they continue to soldier on under the radar.

Students of the Beijing Ritan High School were the guests of the Foundation and were seen taking in the parade.

They were accompanied by Xing Xuejun Chief Of the Culture Office of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Trinidad and Tobago.

Also present at the parade were Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr. Nyan Gadsby- Dolly and Minister of national Security Edmond Dillon.