PanoGrama: The World Cup of Steelpan

When in doubt, start the world’s first online steelpan competition.

While many of us sat at home wondering when our next gig would be, Nevin Roach came up with an idea that would both satisfy a pannist’s need for performing to an audience while still maintaining social distancing brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. 

PanoGrama, dubbed by Roach as “the Worldcup of Steelpan,” made history as the first ever online steelpan competition. When asked about the initiative, Roach stated that, “During the heights of COVID-19 lockdows and restrictions in 2020, live entertainment on Instagram sparked an idea to do something for pan. We were all stuck at home craving entertainment and I thought I could provide just that. I wanted to bring the entertaining vybe of Panorama to Instagram and as a result, PanoGrama was born. Panorama + Instagram = PanoGrama. Quick maths!”  

However, that was only part of the idea. His primary intention was to use the platform to help pannists who were facing financial challenges due to the pandemic. He noted that the goal of assisting was achieved through the offer of cash prizes and appearance fees sponsored by Pan Trinbago (the world governing body for pan). 

This competition showcases the talents of musicians from all corners of the globe and saw the likes of Isadore ‘Dow’ York (St Martin), lone female competitor Tyeesha Alexander (Trinidad and Tobago), Hashim Durant (Barbados), Ryan Joseph (USA) and Earl Brooks Jr. (Trinidad and Tobago); the defending champion, among many others. This family oriented competition not only brought live entertainment into your home but also fostered the holistic personal, musical and professional development of the competing musicians. Each week brought new challenges and one by one competitors were eliminated. 

Upon completion of the competition, a generous donation was made to the Social Prosperity Fund of Pan Trinbago, to aid those facing financial hardships within the steelpan community. Roach mentioned that PanoGrama is the flagship event of a wider business, PanoGrama Entertainment. 

“The inaugural event was a huge success, reaching 32,000 Instagram accounts, hosting over 1,000 finals attendees and garnering media attention throughout the region. Special thanks to all the sponsors and everyone who supported,” Roach said. Roach envisions PanoGrama becoming a major contributor to the global steelpan industry moving forward.

PanoGrama 2021 is on and ready to go and any musician interested in participating must audition. This year’s first price include $1,000 USD, an all-expenses paid trip to perform and more. An educational arm will be introduced this year, where winners will have access to personal and professional development and career guidance, including a one-on-one session with world-renowned pannist, composer and educator, Victor Provost.

Businesses can email contact@pano-grama.com for sponsorship opportunities.