Republic Bank Mashramani Panorama Steel Band Competition 2014

The National Cultural Centre came alive with the delightful sounds of the Steel Pan on Sunday, February 16, 2014 where a capacity crowd gathered to experience the Republic Bank Mashramani Pan-o-rama Steel Band Competition 2014.

The Republic Bank sponsored event for the sixth consecutive year, saw the introduction of a new ‘Pan Jazz’ category. Pan Jazz Fusion is becoming a recognized form in the jazz genre, hence its introduction into the competition. A preliminary competition in the School Band category was held on February 14, 2014 due to the large number of participating schools. This move also exposed a wider cross section of Guyana’s children to the Steel Pan art form, thus enabling them to appreciate a style of music that forms an important part of Guyana’s cultural heritage. The five best School Bands were featured at Sunday’s event.

This increase stems from the continued output of the Republic RightStart Pan Minors Music Literacy Programme another similar annual initiative under the ‘Power to Make a Difference’ umbrella. This programme which commenced in 2010, teaches the necessary skills for playing the steel pan and the knowledge of the rudiments of music.

The 2014 Mashramani Panorama Steel Band Competition featured bands competing in six categories -

• Senior Solo
• Junior Solo
• Pan Duet
• Pan Jazz
• School Band
• Large Band

Judging from the spirited participation and the responses by the Steel Pan enthusiasts and supporters in attendance, a great evening was enjoyed by all.

The results of the competition are as follows:

Junior Solo

1st Place - Rayon Miller
2nd Place - Michael Smith Jr.
3rd Place - Detroy Dey

Senior Solo

1st Place - Ray Sparman
2nd Place - Michael Smith Jr.
3rd Place - Jovanka Williams

Duet

1st Place - Clayton Daniels & Tarreque Mentore
2nd Place - Ray Sparman & Ryan Lewis
3rd Place - Javier Marks & Jamal Johnson

Pan Jazz

1st Place - Guyana Defence Force Steel Orchestra
2nd Place - Parkside Steel Orchestra
3rd Place - Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport Steel Orchestra

School Band

1st Place - Buxton Pride Steel Orchestra
2nd Place -North Ruimveldt Steel Orchestra
3rd Place - Pan Wave Academy
4th Place - The Bishops’ High School

Large Band

1st Place - Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport Steel Orchestra
2nd Place -Guyana Police Force Band
3rd Place - Parkside Steel Orchestra

For more information on Republic Bank, visit: www.republicguyana.com