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Track Listing:Disc 1 - Audio Recordings
Total Playing Time: 73:12 All music composed by Mark Loquan; tracks 2 and 11 with Andy Sheafe. Arrangers as indicated. Disc 2 - Digital Files
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Pan in Education Ver.1
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EXAMPLE OF DIGITAL FILES FOR EACH OF THE THIRTEEN RECORDINGS ON DISC 1. Another Time, Another
Place Categorization To better understand the rating given to this piece, we advise that you review the categorization definition used in assessing the difficulty level, learning outcomes and connections to other arts and subject areas listed below. Difficulty level Intermediate Level –
Easy to Moderately Difficult Learning outcomes
Connections to other arts and subject areas
Full Scores The full score is available in three different formats for your viewing and listening pleasure.
Instrumental Extracts We have provided you with extracts of the songs for the various formats:
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Pan in Education Project: A Note to Music Teachers
Edited by PanOnTheWeb.com from the digital files on Disc 2.
Introduction
In June 2003, Mark Loquan initiated a project out of a strong belief that the music of Trinidad and Tobago should be recorded, scored, and integrated fully into educational curricula, for universal distribution. The exercise, undertaken jointly with Sanch Electronix Ltd, involved working with several reputable arrangers and steel orchestras to perform arrangements of 13 of his compositions with the intention of using such music for educational purposes.
Mark has been composing since 1978 and his music has been performed by a number of steel orchestras, worldwide. In 1998, at the Pan is Beautiful Festival the winning ensemble played one of his works. Both conventional and single-pan bands performed his pieces at Panorama in Trinidad and Tobago in 1999 and 2001-2005.
Internationally, his music has been auditioned in Brooklyn, Toronto, Finland and in 2002 at the European Steelpan Festival in Sete, France.
The first phase of the Pan in Education project consists of a programme on a two-compact disc set. The programme is geared principally towards secondary and tertiary education levels, where it is assumed that one would have acquired some ability to play or learn from the arrangements. However, disc two [Digital files] contains notes on Copyright Issues, Caribbean Rhythms and The Symphonic Soundstage that are an essential requirement for study by all music students.
The programme also seeks to outline a relationship between instruments of the conventional symphony orchestra and those of the steel orchestra. Using these guidelines, music teachers and arrangers will therefore be able to transpose scores written for one family of instruments to the other. This will in turn create numerous opportunities for cross-fertilisation of cultures through the availability of a larger, diversified universal repertoire to students.
The steelpan has also proven to be the ideal medium for producing excellent group music with a minimal learning curve.
The Product
The final product consists of a double CD:
Disc 1 is on-location recorded arrangements of each song
ranging from 4 to 6 minutes, performed by various steel orchestras;
Disc 2 includes the musical scores, computerized using Finale
Music Program 2002 format, and showing individual parts to be
played by various steelpan instruments, namely, tenor, double tenor,
double second, etc. With Finale, the score may be played on
the computer, in parts or in its entirety, at any tempo. Students
not having the Finale Music Program may access scores in
MIDI format.
- PDF files are available for those who simply wish to
have a printout of each score.
- Short MP3 clips containing the original verses and
choruses with vocals/lead lines are provided as an insight into
how arrangers have embellished the melodies.
- Digital files containing notes on Caribbean Rhythms have
been included as an aid to those who are unfamiliar with them.
- Finally, a relationship between instruments of the conventional symphony orchestra and those of a steel orchestra has been suggested. This will assist music teachers and arrangers in transcribing music for the steelpan. Conversely, music written for pan may be adapted for playing with traditional instruments.
Benefits
The main benefits to be accrued from this double CD programme are as follows:
- For music students, the scores will be a valuable resource
for learning the many different aspects of music theory and
arranging techniques. The programme encompasses a range of
playing skills, mainly from intermediate to advanced levels, as
the primary focus has been towards the secondary level of
education. It is therefore hoped that some of the arrangements
will be selected for the CXC [Caribbean] Examinations, and also
as test pieces for School Festivals.
- Of the thirteen songs, twelve contain lyrics, which tell
stories pertaining to some aspect of pan culture in Trinidad and
Tobago. It is therefore possible to use the music as a resource
in collaboration with the [other] performing arts, thus adding
yet another dimension to the programme.
- Because short verse and chorus clips are included, one can
distinguish and learn arranging techniques used for each song.
- The use of interactive digital technology, whereby scores
may be played on the computer, user-friendly interfaces (point
and click) will expose children to hearing local compositions
from a tender age. They will see the link between music that is
aural, and the fact that such music can be scored and played if
one is musically literate. While the project is not geared
towards "making people music literate", exposure even at
elementary level will create a desire for the attainment of
music literacy. It will also assist with catalyzing a change
from learning by rote to sight-reading from an early age.
- The project also encompasses songs with lyrics related to the national musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, the steelpan. This may be utilized as part of cultural development and understanding even at elementary school level. The lyrics may be linked to social studies, drama, dance or poetry.
The Steelbands
- BP Renegades Youth
- CFS Pantasy
- Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille
- Excellent Stores Silver Stars
- Lydian Steel
- National Steel Orchestra
- Sagicor Exodus Steel Orchestra
- Samaroo Jets
- St. Augustine Girl’s High School
- Steel Pan Lovers (Finland)
- TCL Group Skiffle Bunch
- Tropical Angel Harps
- UWI Steel Ensemble
Pan in Education – Making Pan History
Boston, MA – January 10, 2005.
The first 2005 release from Sanch is Pan in Education. Simeon Sandiford describes the double CD thus: "it is the first of a series of unique, innovative, feature-packed, cost-effective, timeless cultural products, conceptualised by citizens of Trinidad and Tobago with the prime objective of playing in the global marketplace”. It is available from eCaroh Caribbean Emporium.
Dr. Patricia Bishop has praised the Pan in Education project for the important features placed “in a single, convenient and attractive package”. “It records visually both on paper and by means of the computer the music of Mark Loquan and associated lyrics. It also records the music aurally so that [pan] players can hear the music even before they learn to play it. The project showcases a number of [steel] bands and their arrangers so that a variety of arranging and playing styles can be studied and appreciated”.
In addition, she continues, “the package contains invaluable interpretative and performance notes, together with advice to teachers. This could help them enliven their music lessons and to integrate music into the wider curriculum. In this regard, the contribution of Sat Sharma to the project must be singled out for special mention.”
Mr. Loquan who is the composer of Pan in Education informs us that it “is geared specifically for secondary and tertiary levels”. The production “involves a wide cross section of the music community, from arrangers, steelbands, schools, universities, pannists to those scoring and proof-editing the arrangements.”
“It was conceived out of the strong view that our local music can and should be documented as a computerized learning tool for education. It is also meant to complement the current thrust towards placing pan in schools and improving music literacy levels using local musical arrangements”.
According to Mr Sharma, Lecturer in Musical Arts, Centre for Creative and Festival Arts, University of the West Indies “the thirteen arrangements have been classified into levels of difficulty with learning outcomes and linkages to other curricular areas identified. The repertoire provides for the development of ensemble playing for secondary schools at the intermediate and advanced levels, with such classification being justified by the following considerations: length, rhythm, melody, texture (which includes harmony), use of percussion and tempo.”
Commenting on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Augustus “Junior” Howell, Curriculum Officer – Music, states that “this double CD compilation…underscores the strong belief that our heritage in general, and local music in particular, should not only be recorded, but also documented and integrated fully into the music curriculum. This collection provides the opportunity for a wide cross section of music enthusiasts to experience steelpan music and hopefully display their musical talent”.
[eCaroh.com/ Ron Lammy]
