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World Steel Band
Festival Winners
Jean Pierre Complex, Trinidad
October 21st, 2000
in Trinidad
Len "Boogsie" Sharpe on double second pan
performs his composition, "In a Rain Forest", with
Skiffle Bunch as the orchestra achieves status as World
Steelband champions.
Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra
Trinidad & Tobago
World Steelband Music Champion
Playing "In the Rain Forest", a masterpiece composed and
arranged by Len "Boogsie" Sharpe as its classical tune of
choice, and Ken "Professor" Philmore's "Pan By Storm" as its
calypso tune of choice, TCL Skiffle Bunch received a
standing ovation at the end of its electrifying
presentation. Len "Boogsie" Sharpe joined the orchestra and
played a double second pan to help the orchestra from San
Fernando capture the world title.
Northern Illinois University
USA
2nd in World Steelband Music Festival
Unlike the other orchestras, Northern Illinois University
performed two of its own compositions. Its classical tune of
choice, "Wood and Steel", is a composition of Richard
Chapell, Director of Percussion, at the university. The work
of Clifford Alexis, a Trinidadian residing in Chiacgo, was
the orchestra's calypso of choice entitled "Pan 2000".
Playing in the number one slot, Northern Illinois
immediately attracted the audience with its immaculate
incorporation of a Ugandan instrument, the Amadinda.
Exodus
Trinidad & Tobago
3rd in World Steelband Music
Playing in the number eight spot, Exodus performed
Tchaikovsky's "Capricio Italian" as its classical tune of
choice and Andre Tanker's "Steelband Times" as its calypso
of choice. Exodus is a major orchestra that competes almost
every year in the panorama finals of the twin-island nation.
It was a long evening, and Exodus competed in the early
hours of Sunday, but everyone remained at the Jean Pierre
Complex to witness the performance of the popular 50-member
orchestra.
BWIA Ebony
United Kingdom
4th in World Steelband Music Festival
For its classical tune of choice, the British steelband
rendered "Morning Noon and Night in Vienna". "Celebrating
with Steel" was the orchestra's calypso of choice. Members
of the orchestra are the children and grand children of West
Indian and African immigrants. Ebony is led by
Trinidadian-born Pepe Francis and it is the most celebrated
steel orchestra in Europe. One of Prince Charles'
organizations contributed financially towards the trip to
Trinidad & Tobago.
BWIA Invaders
Trinidad & Tobago
5th in World Steelband Music
Conducted by Dr. Jeanine Remy of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin,
the institution known as BWIA Invaders played Dvorak's
"Carnival Overture" as its classical tune of choice and
"Toco Band" as its calypso tune of choice. As soon as the
orchestra finished, a frustrated Ken "Professor" Philmore
who was a part of the audience wanted to know why the sound
system failed during certain times of the performance,
Nevertheless, the orchestra still got a mini-standing
ovation and placed 5th.
Panch 2000
Switzerland
6th in World Steelband Music
"Dichter Und Bayer" was the Swiss orchestra's classical tune
of choice and "Mind Yuh Business" its calypso of choice.
Directed by Yaira Yonne, Panch 2000 was established only 10
months ago but it defeated several veteran orchestras to
earn a place in the final eight. The orchestra was the talk
of Port of Spain as a result of tits excellent performances
in the preliminaries. Many picked it to place first.
Defence Force
Trinidad & Tobago
7th in World Steelband Music
Like BWIA Invaders, Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force
encountered problems with sound engineering during the
performance. The 51-member orchestra conducted by Derek
Nurse gave a splendid rendition of Tchaikovsky's "Symphony
No. 4 in F Minor" as its classical tune of choice and
"Penny, Queen of the Universe" as its calypso of choice.
Steel Pan Lovers
Finland
8th in World Steelband Music
In order to participate in the World Steelband Festival, the
orchestra had to find money to get to Trinidad & Tobago; so,
for months, the band played in many parts of Finland to
raise the cash. Its classical tune of choice was "Finlandia".
Lord Kitchener's "Pan in A Minor" was selected as the
orchestra's calypso of choice. The orchestra from Finland
was highly spirited. Its members are under twenty years of
age and although the orchestra had a 39-member cast, it gave
a good account of itself.
Photos and text courtesy Everybodys
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