What’s Going On and How To Get Involved
Three internationally recognized pannists, Tracy Thornton, Dr. Mia Gormandy-Benjamin, and Yuko Asada, have joined forces to unite the global steelpan community through Pan in Unity: an International Virtual Steelband Project.
The project hopes to assemble 1000 global pan players in a virtual medley performance arranged by renowned composer Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. All are welcome to partake, and the process for doing so is simple. Participants need either a pan, percussion instrument, or their voice recorded on video (minimum 1080p). All music scores and note names can be found online HERE, and the deadline to submit is September 8, 2020 at 11:59 PM PST. For further instructions, click the following link: paninunity.com/instructions.
A simplified version of the project is also available for those that do not have time to learn the entire medley but would still like to participate. More information can be found in the Facebook post at the bottom of this article. The music can be found HERE.
More About Pan in Unity
The individuals spearheading this venture have a proven track record of success in similar experiences. For instance, Virtual Steelbands I and II, which exhibited 300 pannists from 11 countries, included Gormandy-Benjamin and Yuko as producers, while the Pan Rocks Quarantine Steelpan, which featured more than 100 pannists from 8 countries, was produced by Thornton. Additionally, Sharpe has collaborated with countless steelbands as a talented performer, composer, and arranger both within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and abroad. The project has also partnered with the International Steelband Foundation (ISF) in hopes of increasing engagement from prominent steelbands.
When asked about how his involvement began, Thornton commented that “Everybody just seemed so separated through the world, especially what we’re experiencing here throughout the states. I just thought it was a good opportunity to bring pan players together. [After all], the motto of Trinidad and Tobago is ‘Together we aspire, together we achieve.’” Thornton’s sentiments greatly reflect songs chosen for the medley, such as pieces “One Love” by Bob Marley, “Imagine” by John Lennon, and Trinidad and Tobago classic “Now is the Time.”
The editors at Pan Magazine are extremely excited to stream the finished product – an audio track mixed in with real steelpans – and commend the organizers of Pan in Unity for such an inspiring effort to unite us in these trying times.
