Pan Revolution - Women Take Over

July 18th, 2009 -- "It's a revolution in pan, understand, we woman take over steelband". That's the refrain in the last lines of the chorus of "Pan Revolution" a song that was written in tribute to the vast number of young women who are now playing the steelpan.

The song, composed by Carlyle Roberts and sung by Gia Telesford, will be played by Republic Bank Angel Harps in the Junior Panorama Competition and by LIME Commancheros in the 2009 Grenada National Panorama Competition.

Pan Revolution recognises the change in composition of the members of many of today's steel orchestras, not only in Grenada but also in Trinidad, the wider Caribbean, North America and Europe. What was once the domain of mainly male players is now being more and more, dominated by young girls and women. It is common to see more female players in steelbands today than male players.

"Not too long ago, in case you don't know, wasn't always so, women couldn't go, anywhere close to a steelband yard" says the lyrics of the song, but in the last ten years or so, the "few" female faces seen in a steelband have grown to the extent that, as the lyrics continue "..when you talk bout playing pan, we (women) are the new musicians" - a fact that not only acknowledges the role that women are now playing within the steelband movement but one that also speaks to the acceptance of the steelpan and the steel orchestra.

Women can now be seen playing every instrument in a steel orchestra, from tenor to bass and from drums to the engine room. They have become leaders in many steel orchestras and a few have risen to be musical arrangers for steelbands.

Roberts, who has been involved in teaching young kids to play the steelpan for a number of years with Angel Harps, feels that the support that young girls get from their parents, especially their mothers, is a big reason why girls will continue to have a major impact on the steelband movement in years to come. He thinks that "most of the mothers are sort of making sure that the opportunity to "join a band (&) play a pan" will not be withheld from their daughters as it was from them".

"Even in the schools, you are finding that the Girls' schools are taking the initiative to have pan programmes for their students." At Angel Harps, there are three school programmes, namely the Anglican High School (Girls School), The St. Louis RC School (Girls school) and the TAMCC where, although a mixed school, usually more girls than boys participate in the pan programme".

Yes, indeed, it's a revolution in pan, the women take over steelband. They come to play, Let the girls play.

Junior panorama is on the 1st August and the National Panorama competition will be held on 8th August 2009.