Energetic start as Secondary Schools Panorama launches in south

EXCITEMENT bubbled in San Fernando on Wednesday morning as curriculum coordinator Marceline Peters launched the preliminary round of the National Schools Panorama competition 2023.

The competition is a product of the Ministry of Education.

Under the brilliant morning sunlight, the launch happened at the Carib Skiffle panyard at Coffee Street, San Fernando.

The first of four secondary school bands to face the judges was past winner Naps Combined Steel Orchestra.

Naps Combined is made up of students from Naparima College and Naparima Girls’ High School.

They were followed by Pleasantville Secondary and Marabella South Secondary which made its debut in the competition. Waterloo Secondary, however, the fourth school on the Wednesday schedule, pulled out at the last moment.

Newsday attempted to contact the Waterloo arranger who was reportedly in a meeting.

Parents and supporters crowded the pavements in front of Skiffle long before the 8.30 am launch to hear their sons and daughters give a rousing performance of Bunji Garlin’s Big Bad Soca, brought to life by past student Desiree Seecharan and arranger Shaquille Vincent.

Traffic slowed as the sweet sound of steel resonated around the sunny city.

Peters said she was excited for the return of the competition and, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, wished all the participants well.

After hearing the Naps Combined, San Fernando Mayor and CEO of Skiffle Junia Regrello, who has been facilitating the band at his panyard since its inception in 2018, said the future of pan is in good hands.

He commended the students for their discipline, observing that they came out during the Christmas vacation to perfect their craft. He commended, as well, parents, principals and staff of the two schools for their dedication towards the ultimate success of the students.

“This may very well be a winning start,” he said in a brief address at the panyard.

In its short panorama history, the band has had a winning streak, placing second in its debut year, returning in 2019 to take the Junior Panorama title. It placed third in 2020, the last year the competition was held owing to the covid19 pandemic.

The competition moved to nearby Claire and Fonrose Streets, San Fernando, where Pleasantville Secondary students, known as Pleasantville Pan Jammers, and their supporters spilled over at NCLB Fonclaire to play their hearts out for the judges.

Prior to their performance, school teacher and band manager Valerie Patrick engaged them in singing some uplifting spiritual songs, including Move Satan, Move, Leh Meh Pass, to clear their path for success in the final scheduled for January 22 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

Patrick said, at their last foray into the schools competition the band was edged-out from among the finalists by one point.

“We are hoping to remedy that this year,” she said, explaining that although there was some uncertainty about the competition being held, “our students were practising throughout the whole term, even during the Christmas holidays because pan is an integral part of our curriculum.”

The female-dominated band has chosen a Curtis “Sleepy” Marcelle arrangement of Blaxx’s Same Way to change their fortunes.

Fonclaire’s CEO Darren Sheppard said Pleasantville and Fonclaire have had a long history.

In Fonclaire’s heyday in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when they scored a second-place hatrick, all of their music was done in Pleasantville Secondary during their lunch hour and brought out to the panyard in the night.

“So it is a wonderful feeling to be able to host Pleasantville for the last couple of months. It is going to be a long-standing relationship. It’s like family come back together.

“I am Pleasantville, the captain and vice captains, arranger, are all Pleasantville. We also have a host of players who have Pleasantville links, so this is home.”

Fonclaire is also involved in training the students of St Gabriel’s Girls’ RC Primary School, who will be judged on Thursday at Fonclaire’s panyard, in the primary schools preliminaries.

It also has an under-21 junior team, which falls under the umbrella of Pan Trinbago’s Junior Panorama programme.

Judging for Junior Panorama preliminaries takes place on January 16

Music education teacher and arranger for Marabella South, Miguel Camps told the Newsday he arranged David Rudder’s Trini to the Bone for the school’s 50th anniversary and Republic Day celebrations last year.

Owing to time constraints, the band could not perform at either of the events.

“We decided to pull it back for the Secondary Schools Panorama competition.”

For first timers, Camps said he felt positive about their performance.

Secondary schools judging will continue on January 12, 13 and 16.