DECADES OF DANCE 9-15th October 2011
DANCE FESTIVAL 2011-in Trinidad
In 2009, the Ministry mounted an exhibition entitled ‘Decades of Dance’ which featured Dance Companies of Trinidad and Tobago from 1968 to 2008. The exhibition was mounted on the exterior of the Culture Division office at 51 – 55 Frederick Street, which now serves as the head office to the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism. It featured:
• Five Decades of Dance companies of Trinidad Tobago in performance photos
• A profile of the Company
• A profile of the founding Artistic Director

This was stage one of the Ministry’s strategy to bring dance back into focus and more importantly, support the development of the art form through workshops and seminars and contribute to audience development for this fine art.
The Ministry in conjunction with the National Dance Association of Trinidad and Tobago, “Dance Festival 2011” will provide dance practitioners in Trinidad and Tobago with training in dance techniques; exposure to dance forms traditional to these regions; an opportunity to share experiences, styles, choreography techniques and opportunities to promote and advance not only the art of dance but the Caribbean as the Mecca of Cultural Diversity. The Caribbean dance festival also gives Trinidad and Tobago an opportunity to increase audience appreciation and interest in the dance as an art form.

A FOCUS ON YOUTH
In recent years, dance in Trinidad and Tobago has been experiencing a surge in participation, through dancers and dance enthusiasts alike. Through the B’Mobile Dance Off Series, dance companies such as Elle Incorporated and Eclectic Dancers, to the Secondary Schools’ Dance Festival produced by the National Dance Association of Trinidad and Tobago; not to mention international programs like ‘So you think you can Dance?’, ‘Dancing with the Starts’ and ‘America’s Best Dance Crew’ the youth more now than ever are thoroughly involved in dance practice. ‘Decades of Dance; Dance Festival 2011’ does have a place for the youth, not only through the workshops that are designed to focus on technique and style and how dance and movement are key to a healthy lifestyle but the career opportunities that exist for young dancers both locally and internationally but also via the ‘Hip Hop Fest’ that will showcase the more popular genres inclusive of ‘dancehall’ and ‘fusion’.




OVERALL GOAL
1. To recognize and present a broad range of dance styles towards developing and improving standards in the field of dance in Trinidad and Tobago, through networking and discourse amongst dance practitioners, dance enthusiasts and cultural researchers of the Caribbean

OBJECTIVES
1. To revitalize dance as a dramatic art-form in the Trinidad and Tobago.
2. To expose the dancer’s too technically sound practices through workshops and performances that would encourage higher professional standards.
3. To provide young persons with the opportunity to participate in dance education and performance amongst regional practitioners.
4. To present three quality dance performances to the public of Trinidad and Tobago.



 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

It is proposed that the Dance Festival 2011 take the form of a week of dance activities inclusive of performances, workshops, symposia, film screenings and youth activity to be held at NAPA and Queen’s Hall in Port of Spain and Naparima Bowl in San Fernando.

Dance Africa and Of another Nature Dance Troupes from Barbados will perform.
L’Acado-a-united Caribbean Dance Troupe from Jamaica will perform.

Decades of Dance ..Dance Festival- October 9-15.2011

DECADES OF DANCE
DANCE FESTIVAL 2011
9-16 October 2011


In 2009, the Ministry mounted an exhibition entitled ‘Decades of Dance’ which featured Dance Companies of Trinidad and Tobago from 1968 to 2008. The exhibition was mounted on the exterior of the Culture Division office at 51 – 55 Frederick Street, which now serves as the head office to the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism. It featured:
• Five Decades of Dance companies of Trinidad Tobago in performance photos
• A profile of the Company
• A profile of the founding Artistic Director

This was stage one of the Division’s strategy to bring dance back into focus and more importantly, support the development of the art form through workshops and seminars and contribute to audience development for this fine art.

The Dance Festival 2011 will provide dance practitioners in Trinidad and Tobago with training in dance techniques; exposure to dance forms traditional to these regions; an opportunity to share experiences, styles, choreography techniques and opportunities to promote and advance not only the art of dance but the Caribbean as the Mecca of Cultural Diversity. The Caribbean dance festival also gives Trinidad and Tobago an opportunity to increase audience appreciation and interest in the dance as an art form.

The festival is envisioned as a pioneering event that will create an enabling environment for the presentation and discourse of dance and the reaffirmation of the existing ties between the regional dance community and cultural workers alike.

OVERALL GOAL
1. To recognize and present a broad range of dance styles towards developing and improving standards in the field of dance in Trinidad and Tobago, through networking and discourse amongst dance practitioners, dance enthusiasts and cultural researchers of the Caribbean
OBJECTIVES
1. To revitalize dance as a dramatic art-form in the Trinidad and Tobago.
2. To expose dancers to technically sound practices through workshops and performances that would encourage higher professional standards.
3. To provide young persons with the opportunity to participate in dance education and performance amongst regional practitioners.
4. To present three quality dance performances to the public of Trinidad and Tobago.

 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
It is proposed that the Dance Festival 2011 take the form of a week of dance activities to be held at different venues throughout Trinidad and Tobago. The festival is divided into three major components, each of which supports one or two of the objectives of the festival.
1. The first major component will be the performances by the host and visiting dance companies. The signal performances will be held in Port of Spain and San Fernando.
2. The second major component of the festival will be a symposium to exchange views and ideas on the state of dance in the Caribbean today and the way forward. This forum will bring together dance practitioners as well as cultural scholars, activists and entrepreneurs from the participating countries.
3. The third major component will be dance workshops on selected dance forms and styles with an emphasis on folk dance. The workshops will be held at the main performance centers and at selected schools.

The launch for specially invited guests will take place on Friday 9th at 10:00am at NAPA. The exhibition then continues from the 10th to the 24th. We are extremely excited about this project coming to fruition.

Projects worked on recently: For Ministry of Multiculturalism in Trinidad & Tobago

• The Evolution of the Steelpan and Pan in the Art Exhibition September 2009

• The Division’s “People’s Space” presentation as the country hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2009 (CHOGM 2009), I programmed and managed 3 Pavilions and part of the sponsorship and marketing team.

I was also part of this team of cultural officers in the Marketing, Planning and Advertising of the inaugural events staged at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) namely:

• “Dance, Meh Lover”

• NAPA Fest 2010

• Pan on a Higher Note 2011


With my experience in event promotion and management, hospitality and entertainment, I believe that I can effectively support the communications, advertising, promotional aspects, development and implementation your programmes, projects and services.

Soca Monarch 2011 Rules Broken

Breaking the Rules//WOW...Mr. Munro said IWER did not listen..he bullied the back stage....Breaking the Rules...according to the Trinidad Express today.

Mr. Munro also said according to today's Express; " Iwer has to understand he didn't obey the rules of the Competition. He went on to say
Montano performed for 12 minutes while George performed for 14 minutes. Yet Artistes are allocated 8 minutes. George also had 40-50 props, only 25 were allowed. Well it sounds to me Montano and George who placed Ist and 2nd in that order should have been disqualified. What kind of competition is this? Break the rules and come out winners. GO MacFarlane break all rules next years. That is Carnival.

Soca Monarch 2011...Observations and Questions

Yesterday I wrote about devotion to living without judgements and the devotion to letting things be because I knew today some bad news about the much talked about Soca Monarch 2011 would surface. They said the world is watching, the promotion was in your face for weeks yet the venue was not paid for up to midday of the show. Unacceptable, then to accuse the line minister of terrorism for making sure funds are paid was unreasonable. How Fantastic a Friday was it to start a show like this a 9:30pm and yet get a late start? I think the overseas Celebrity Panel is a great promotional tool for Cultural Tourism, but please have them in place for comments from competitor no 1. The local panel should be a Celebrity panel of persons with knowledge of the art form, not Celebrities of another art form. Did Benjai pay a price for his criticism of this very event(Soca Monarch) for not having two backing bands (which they now have) for the different segments? Was Iwer robbed? Why a false start for the Power Soca after a break? I always said, it's okay to promote any event at a high level with media sponsorship, but to do a fantastic production takes skilled people with a track record in production. I could go on and on...I'll say this ...Trinidad and Tobago can boost of having the greatest indigenous cultural products in the Caribbean, but one can also ask are these products in the right hands?.http://mrfile.blogspot.com ---or mrfile@twitter.com and click the link

2011 Trinidad and Tobago Calypso Competition

Finalist; Benjai, Sugar Aloes, Cro Cro, Chalkdust, Stinger, Karene Asche, Brian London, Devon Seale, Kizzie Ruiz, Tigress, Devon Seale and Tameika Darius. I am not in agreement with Tameika Darius, no melody here, no good voice, a shouting is what I hear. Devon Seale will consider himself lucky. Tobago Chalkie is a class act and must be wondering why? Panter was in good voice, I think his song stayed in the class room and needed to mature to reach the big yard. Marvellous Marva was very close. If the Eyes on the Hill, was delivered by a stronger Calypsonian it might have travelled down the hill to the Dimanche Gras. Stinger is the one to beat on Carnival Sunday night, he and Benjai will be close at the finish line as their nation building songs are refreshing in content. Brian London will have to settle for third place.

Culture (1988) - Tambu

We Culture....in Captivity on the home land.

The Cultural Village at the Savannah in my opinion is promoting the wrong content; it is too narrow and “tired”. Besides which, the concept of a Carnival Village should be roving in Caribbean Islands since January and used as a promotional tool. The main Cultural products that Trinidad and Tobago is known for which are Calypso and the Steel Pan, can't grow globally if they remain in captivity on the homeland. Stop using the youth to gain financial support for cultural products, its now becoming child abuse. Whatever happened to "LIVE" BROADCASTS and RE-BROADCASTS of Carnival events in the Islands? I know the streaming on the net is now the order of the day. My question is who or how many people are you reaching in this format?

Just like Tambu; I see fools in a wise man world, oh gosh the journey will be long without vision. The road is getting heavy and longer. More attention is needed if we want this cultural to break through...Keep the Faith.

The Mighty Striker passed on last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Percy at NAPA in Trinidad during the Ministry of Arts & Multiculturalism production in 2010 called Celebrating our Calypso Monarchs through the years as part of the Marketing & Production Team. It was his last performance and a good one as well.
Percy Oblington, The Mighty Striker was the Calypso King of 1959, repeating the victory he had in 1958 for winning the title in 1959, he got as his prize $1000 and a silver trophy. In this year he sang, “Ban the Hula Hoop” and “Comparison”.
The song “Ban the Hula Hoop” was a request in song that the Hula Hoop which had become very popular among children was in fact promoting suggestivity.
It must be remembered that just about a year ago ‘the twist’an American style of dance was also very popular but Striker thought that the Hula Hoop with its rhythmic connotations went too far and was bad for the normal upbringing of children. Hence the Calypso!
Striker: Percy Oblington
Calypso crown 1958 with songs Don’t Blame the PNM and Can’t Find a Job to Suit me
In 1959 he won with Ban the Hoola Hoop
He was born on the 18th of April 1930, in Dabadie. He started writing and performing calypso in 1949 at 18 years old.

Launch of the National Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers

Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism
Launch of the National Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers
&
2nd Symposium: “Towards a Multiculturalism Policy” A focus on the Creative Arts

The Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism presents the Launch of the National Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers and the 2nd Symposium “Towards a Multiculturalism Policy”: A focus on the Creative Arts, on Friday 4th February 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Calling all artists, cultural workers, religious and cultural groups, academics and interested persons to be a part of this historic event. Come and let your voice be heard as we work together to develop the culture industry of Trinidad and Tobago. To register call the Ministry at 627-4991 or email at multiculturalismsymposiumtt@gmail.com . See you there!

Entertainment: These high air travel prices within the Caribbean are not only damaging the movement of Caribbean people in terms of keeping families knitted ...(but) I think that culture is something that a separate budget should be placed aside for. When we say: “A Festival”-the airlines should definitely step forward and make a contribution/big reduction.

Festivals: Now, Festivals (Jazz) that use state funds to pay mainly American artistes without an increase of international tourist arrivals and little exposure for Caribbean artistes should not receive any benefits from Airlines. Not enough emphasis is placed on building indigenous brands of the region. We need to get busy developing these indigenous brands and preserving the Caribbean cultural Heritage.

This pan pounding in my head!!!! Help me...which project this Governing body runs financial on its own? Who is in charge of exporting this product? are they any Caribbean works shops, competitions put on by this Governing body, there was a world competition for 3 years....no longer on the books. Where is the building the government gave funds to build? Are the right people in place at this Governing body? Oh gosh more rakes!!!!!. My song this year “a spade can only be called a spade”

Is Calypso dead?
Is the Art form in safe hands? Some say the living and the now passed on godfathers and mothers provided the vintage stuff with contrasting fashion, some witty, and pointed and others colourful and energetic.
It might just be enough to mention great names like Mighty Spoiler, his forte was humour, and with an imaginative brain he dished out many hits in the 1950’s to the extent that he is responsible for associating calypso with humour. How about Aldric Adrian Farrell: Lord Pretender, born in Tobago, Lord Pretender was of the view that calypsoians had a responsibility to document the history of his people. “Preedie as he was fondly called by fellow calysonians and close friends was at age 85, and said to be the oldest calypsoian alive before he died three years ago.
The Mighty Dougla, he was a true representation of this racial mixture. Dougla a barber by trade fashioned his work as a calypsoian propelled him to join Sparrow’s original Young Brigade in the late 1950’s. Dougla as his name suggested, focused much of his songs on the ethnic problems which affected the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Sniper, Mighty Cypher, Might Terror and Might Duke were noted for their excellent phrasing and riveting performances and always has tight musical support. Though most people in this region seem opposed to the United States trade embargo on Cuba; it could be said policy gave useful benefits for that island cultural development. If the United States ever stop trading with Trinidad and Tobago, many of our frequently discussed cultural problems would be immediately solved: no North American programmes would be seen on television, North American music would no longer be heard on the Radio and there would be more concerts like Celebrating our Calypso Monarchs through the years 1930-1980 produced by the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism in 2010 during the NAPA in 2010.
Maybe the Art-form is safe in the hands of the very Trinidadians that was criticised for maiming it. At the end of the day Government agencies with a mandate for protecting and developing our cultural industries and corporate Trinidad will have to shoulder some of the blame for the social and cultural decay now pervading our country.
Though not entirely responsible, I am sure that more tangible involvement and support for the cultural Industries from those with wealth and position among us would go a long way in alleviating our ills.
The Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism and must be given kudos for NAPA FEST concept, this is a sure-bet solution to start a positive momentum away from social problems, it has re-tap the raw and ready talent that already exists here in Trinidad and Tobago, NAPA FEST opened the door to a culture of finding out instead of a culture of regurgitating or restating.
Good Luck to all in 2011.

List of calypsonians Monarch Winners 1939 - 1980

1939 - Growling Tiger
1953 - Spoiler (Bed Bug)
1954 - Melody (Second Spring)
1955 - Spoiler (Pick Sense Out of Nonsense)
1956 - Sparrow (Jean and Dinah)
1957 - Pretender (Que Sera Sera)
1958 - Striker (Don't Blame the PNM/Cant Find A Job To Suit Me)
1959 - Striker (Ban the Hoola Hoop/Comparison)
1960 - Sparrow (Ten to One is Murder/Mae Mae)
1961 - Dougla (Lazy Man/Split Me in Two)
1962 - Sparrow (Sparrow Come Back Home/Federation)
1963 - Sparrow (Dan is the Man/Kennedy)
1964 - Bomber (Joan and James/Bomber's Dream)
1965 - Sniper (Portrait of Trinidad/More Production)
1966 - Terror (Pan Jamboree/Last Year's Happiness)
1967 - Cypher (Last Elections/If the Priest Could Play)
1968 - Duke (What is Calypso/Social Bacchanal)
1969 - Duke (Black is Beautiful/One Foot Visina)
1970 - Duke (Brotherhood of Man/See Through)
1971 - Duke (Mathematical Formula/Melvine & Yvonne)
1972 - Sparrow (Drunk and Disorderly/Rope)
1973 - Sparrow (School Days/Same Time, Same Place)
1974 - Sparrow (We Pass That Stage/Miss Mary)
1975 - Kitchener (Tribute to Spree Simon/Fever)
1976 - Chalkdust (Three Blind Mice/Ah Put on Meh Guns Again)
1977 - Chalkdust (Juba Dubai/Shango Vision)
1978 - Calypso Rose (Her Majesty/I Thank Thee)
1979 - Black Stalin (Caribbean Unity/Play One)
1980 - Relator (Food Prices/Take a Rest)

Duke:
Kelvin Pope, better known as The Mighty Duke (1932 – January 14, 2009) was a Trinidadian calypsonian. He was born in Point Fortin.
Pope left a career working at Shell Oil to perform calypso music. In the 1950s, he played locally in his hometown, then began playing in San Fernando at the Southern Brigade Calypso Tent. In 1964 he relocated to Port of Spain and performed at the Original Young Brigade.
He won the National Calypso Monarch title for four years straight (1968-71), and was noted for exploring ideas such as black consciousness and global politics in his lyrics.[1] Lord Nelson was one of many for whom he composed music. In 1987, his "Thunder" was awarded the National Road March prize.[2]
Pope died on January 14, 2009 at 1:05 pm in Saint Clair, Trinidad and Tobago of myelofibrosis, which he had been battling for five years.
Kelvin Pope, known in the Calypso world as 'Mighty Duke', is a legendary Calypsonian whose work spans a period of over fifty years. Born in 1932 in Point Fortin, south Trinidad, 'Duke' grew up in a period that was marked by striking workers who challenged the colonial authorities by protesting against working conditions, wages, racism and exploitation in the oilfields. Growing up in this turbulent period would have a lasting impact on Kelvin Pope and the music that he would create in years to come. His serious Calypsos reflect a spirit of resistance that is still very much alive up to this day. Influenced by Calypso stalwarts like 'Lord Syncopator', 'Mighty Spoiler', 'Mighty Cypher' and 'Lord Kitchener', 'Duke' has, over the years, become renowned not only for delivering social commentary, political and witty, humorous songs with equal skill, dignity and lyrical mastery but also for his stately stage presence and for being one of the best-dressed Calypsonians to this day. The only Calypsonian to win the National Calypso Monarch Crown four times in a row, Kelvin Pope's body of work includes "Black is Beautiful", "Teach the Children", "Brotherhood of Man", "Mathematical Formula", "Treat Your Woman", "Land Of Love" and "Pan In Yuh Ruckungkertungkung". His focus has not been limited to local issues as he has demonstrated the importance of a global awareness in his interest in the liberation struggles in Africa. With such songs as "How Many More Must Die" and "Apartheid" he was a vocal critic of apartheid in South Africa.
Kelvin Pope, known in the Calypso world as 'The Mighty Duke', is a legendary Calypsonian whose work spans a period of over fifty years. Born in 1930 in Point Fortin, south Trinidad, 'Duke' grew up in a period that was marked by striking workers who challenged the colonial authorities by protesting against working conditions, wages, racism and exploitation in the oilfields. Growing up in this turbulent period would have a lasting impact on Kelvin Pope and the music that he would create in years to come.
Duke was born in New Lance Point Fortin and grew up as an ordinary kid during that time in Point Fortin. As a child I grew up hearing Calypsos by the old bards from being around my parents who always played Calypso records because they loved Calypso music. Calypsonians like 'Mighty Growler', 'Roaring Lion', 'Mighty Tiger', 'Ziegfield' - the old great ones.
He grew up in an era when Steelband was just coming into being and they were just making the one note or the three notes on the Pan. Musically, Steelband was just coming into being. Politically, that was the era of Butler. That was in Butler's time and he was in Point Fortin. He grew up in that era of resistance.
He made his Calypso debut in the late fifties. His neighbor was the calypsonian known as 'Syncopater', he encouraged to become a calypsonian and write his own songs. Soon after he joined a tent in Point Fortin with fellow calypsonians; ‘Impressor’, ‘Blacks’
Duke believes that the role of the Calypsonian is to inform, to educate and to speak out when others are afraid to.

Duke you will be missed in 2011...just like 2010 and many years to come.

Ray Holman

RAY HOLMAN
Ray Holman, Take a look at his work below:
Composer, arranger and steel drum performer from Trinidad, Ray Holman is perhaps the most talented proponent of his art form internationally.
He has arranged and recorded with steel bands and artists in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Japan and Europe, including televised performances with the German National Orchestra which showcased his compositions. He composed the highly acclaimed score for Black Orpheus, staged by Crossroads Theatre Company in New Jersey in 1991, and has been a featured performer in film, television and at venues such as Madison Square Garden, the Super Bowl and the St. Lucia Jazz Festival.
A University of the West Indies graduate and former high school teacher, he has conducted workshops at West Virginia University and was a Commissioned Composer in the California State University Summer Arts Program. He regularly attends the bi-annual steelband tuning and arranging workshop at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California and has done presentations at meetings of the Percussive Arts Society. During 1998-2000 he was a distinguished Visiting Artist in the Ethnomusicology Program at the University of Washington, Seattle.
. He was recognized for his musical contribution by the Republic Pan Fiesta 2003, A Tribute to Ray Holman.
IN 1957, Ray began playing pan at 13 with Invaders Steelband, led by legendary pan tuner Ellie Mannette. Later, he became its arranger, doing classical interpretations such as "Dream of Olwen" and "Etude in A b."
In 1963, Holman and others revived the band Starlift, and his arrangements made it the then most popular band in Trinidad. He had instant success with "I Feel Pretty" from the musical "West Side Story."
At 20, he became the youngest player to win the solo Ping Pong (an early version of the tenor pan)competition in the 1964 Trinidad and Tobago Music Festival. He began experimenting with the jazz idiom as a soloist, while touring and performing on television with the Queen’s Royal College Jazz Group led by his teacher Scofield Pilgrim.
Ray emerged as the most musically progressive steelband arranger, and his innovative arrangements won two Panorama championships for Starlift in 1969, with Lord Kitchener’s “The Bull” and in 1970 with the Mighty Sparrow’s "Queen of The Bands". In 1972, he became the first arranger to compose and play his own music for the National Steelband Panorama competition. Appropriately titled “Pan On the Move,” the composition won the National Preliminaries and is now a musical landmark. Since then, he has arranged for many top steelbands, including Pandemonium, Carib Tokyo, Exodus, Phase II Pan Groove, and Hummingbirds Pan Groove.
His first CD, A Tribute to Ray Holman, featured eight of his Panorama compositions. With his jazz sensibility and unique improvisational style, Ray continues to delight audiences worldwide with the timeless quality of his music.
During its 60-something years of existence, pan has produced many unsung heroes — every iron-kudjoe and scratcherman is important to the music, every player matters — but the composers and arrangers stand out. They are few, they are great, and they are, usually, humble men who approach the music with love and respect
Ray Holman, one of Trinidad’s foremost steel pan arrangers and composers, has been involved with the instrument since he was a child. After four decades as a musical trailblazer, he is one of pan’s many contradictions: a gentle revolutionary.


Merchant — his real name was Dennis Williams who wrote the lyrics to many of Ray’s compositions, had an elegant turn of phrase, a genuine concern for his fellow man, and endless energy. Even in the last few days of his life, almost too weak to write, he was calling on Holman to bring more music. And there was plenty to bring — Ray Holman has a house full of music. Cupboards and chests spill over with scores, just waiting for some lyrics and a play. He estimates that he has composed and arranged around 300 songs, but the total number, if you include the work that hasn’t yet been arranged, is far greater.
He has also achieved a distinguished career as a pan teacher. Since 1998 Holman has been a visiting musician at the University of Washington in Seattle, designing and teaching pan programmes, and he conducts annual workshops and courses in playing and arranging for the instrument in several other colleges in the US. But, as he has no formal music education, he cannot do the same in Trinidad. The legacy of the British education system, still influential in the Caribbean, puts accreditation before talent, skill, and experience.

Most recently, Holman has founded a pan-jazz group — taking him back to his roots at QRC — combining pan, saxophone, bass-guitar, keyboard, and flute. The Ray Holman Quintet has already recorded an album of all-new Holman compositions, of Caribbean-Latin-jazz genesis. Somehow, in between recording with the quintet, teaching in Seattle, and returning to Trinidad for the Carnival season, he has also in the last year or two directed a massive gathering of 275 players in the Pan Jamboree Finale in Sanka Falls, California, and composed and arranged the entire score for a Bruce Weil musical about the history of pan, which opened earlier this year in Cincinnati.
Pan has become a world instrument and Ray Holman has been part of that process for nearly 40 years. But his great hopes for the future of pan are tempered by his knowledge of the many possible pitfalls and limitations. Pan has no limit he says, but the politics surrounding the music are limiting. He laments the lack of apprentices to the old pan tuners of Trinidad, while newer and more scientific methods for making and tuning pans are being developed elsewhere.

The musical trend in Panorama arrangements is also a source of concern for Holman. Too much emphasis on pleasing the judges is detrimental to the music, he feels. Technical excellence and tricks of the trade are thriving; what’s often lacking is true heart.

There is more to pan than the instrument itself: it is a culture, a history, a philosophy, a love. No one can ever take these away from the people of Trinidad and Tobago. It is part of their birthright, their heritage.
And Ray Holman is one of its chief custodians.

NAPA Fest- 2010

NAPA FEST 2010 REPORT
Project Item: Marketing Report
By Michael Murray

SUMMARY
The Division of Culture hosted “Napa Fest” a series of Productions which took place at The National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) which included nine live stage productions. These productions were broken into two phases. Phase one Production contained Music Festival Highlights, Genesis in Steel, Pop Meet Steel, El Cerro Del Aripo, Nache, with an allocated budget of Two hundred and fifty Thousand Dollars ($250.000.00).
Phase two which comprised Secondary School Highlights, Best Village Festival Highlights, Tobago Heritage Festival Highlight and History Through the Eyes of Calypso with an allocated budget of Three hundred and fifty Thousand Dollars ($350.000.00).
CHALLENGES
A Strategic marking plan was develop as a guideline for promotions and the advertising of the festival and each production. The plan contained the use of radio/television/print media, along with radio/television and print interviews, features and info booklets of the individual events; flyers, billboard, and E-marketing. These methods were used to generate over 35,000 patrons.
The challenges met were:
 The short time factor which was given to advertise a festival of this great magnitude.
 The festival advertising timeframe also fell between a political election period when the corporate and private sector market were on a stand still. This hampered our plan for big numbers in additional financial sponsorship.
 The confirmation of the budgets and releasing of funds in a timelier manner will help us in the future to enable us to negotiate with advertising sponsors long before the project is ready to be launched. If done, a healthy advertising campaign can be formulated and will attract substantial sponsorship packages from the corporate sector.
 Advertising the two events at the same time in the early stages with the election in full swing was a challenge. We were able after the elections to capture the interest of the local media. The print radio and television opened their doors for interviews and live broadcast on radio and television recording for later broadcast.



 The building of Napa Fest into a Tourism product was not considered by the TDC. We sent a proposal and made several follow up calls. We must keep in mind that the sounds and images of ourselves that reflect the reality of our lives and the “spirit of our ancestors” must be in the forefront of any tourism marketing plan and Napa Fest demonstrated the connection between the various cultural expressions, what we now call Multiculturalism.
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Napa Fest should be an annual event, and placed on the calendar of event in the Tourism magazine. There is a natural and inherent link between the two industries (Tourism and Culture) yet, for some reason it has not been researched, developed, and exploited.
 There is also a need to reduce the number of events without leaving out of any of the original content.
 The Napa Fest marketing team understands that the creative and cultural industries in Trinidad and Tobago holds enormous opportunities and can enhance the Tourism product, and recommends an alliance among industry players, as well as an industry association.
 Cultural services are important to job and wealth creation, if that is understood and you agree that this is the age of creativity and the knowledge economy; you must also agree we have cultural products and “brands” which we can leverage for tremendous value.
 With the opportunities of building and developing indigenous “brands” we recommend The Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism set up a Festivals and Events Bureau in the near future. As successful as some Trinidadian artistes have been in the past the fact is we must keep putting our Festivals and Artistes on the world map. Therefore, the mandate of this “NEW” Festivals and events Bureau should be:
o The Festival and Events Bureau must put a permanent infrastructure in place to ensure the bar is raised at the local festival level by lending support in areas of finance, marketing, and production.
o To promote, market, advertise, and distribute Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural products and the visual arts in the wider Caribbean and beyond on a year-round basis.
o Liaise with local stakeholders and overseas agencies in the planning of exporting our festivals and performing arts in general.
o Working with the Cultural and Tourism stakeholders in advancing our overseas workshop program for Steel Pan, Dance, Calypso and all the other Trinidad and Tobago developing cultural products.

SUMMARY OF MEDIA
Express, Newsday, and Guardian
 The NAPA festival received immense response from the print media. As stated in The Daily Express section 2 Friday 23rd April 2010 NAPA FEST HAS SUCCESSFUL OPENING by reporter Mr. Wayne Bowman “The audience at Sunday’s run of the NAPA fest experienced a first class production with very few hiccups on stage. In fact, the featured act, Champion Choirs from last year’s National Music Festival, all delivered excellent performances that were enhanced by great sound and lighting.”
 The placing of updated information in the Events Section of all print of Secondary School highlights, Genesis in Steel, Pop Meets Steel, El Cerro Del Aripo, Best Village Festival Highlights, Tobago Heritage Festival Highlight and History Through the Eyes of Calypso and feature articles on each programme, was another main factor that maintained the momentum of the marketing.
 The Guardian on Friday, May 21 headlines read; Soothing Music Elevates spirits at NAPA FEST, it was the Guardian feature on a upcoming event NACHE which brought the multiculturalism aspect of the Festival into focus, that headline read; NAPA HOSTS East Indian dance Festival. After the review in the Guardian of El Cerro del Aripo on June 24th which read; El Cerro Del Aripo awakes T&T Cultural beauty was really the turning point of greater attendance for the remainder of the festival.
 Picture highlights of NAPA Festival also graced the front pages of the Guardian and Express four times, and with other articles that spread across the three media houses with the following headlines; El Cerro Del Aripo a success at Napa, Pan by Storm at Napa, Pan Rises as Pop Meets Steel, Sweet Pan Thrills at NAPA, Grand tribute to calypso icons of yesteryear, Calypso’s future in good hands, and the most touching of all “Why the caged bird sings and big man cry” was in keeping with the high quality of the NAPA productions.
 In addition, each production enjoyed paid for Art work 17 x 7 spots in the Guardian, Newsday and Express.
Radio Stations
 The Radio advertising campaign was stretched across 10 radio stations, advertising spots were allocated with variances with considerations of the various genres e.g., Sangeet Radio and 103 FM was the center of the NACHE advertising.
 Wack Radio, Sweet 100, 94.7FM, I.95FM and the Vibe105 related to the indigenous brands Best Village, Tobago Heritage, Pan and Calypso which brought cultural appreciation to all supporting groups.
 With Radio jingles on all 10 stations per day and over 21 interviews and bonus adlibs justified our advertising spend of $215,000.
 Radio Stations used were, Sweet 100, 91.1 Talk City, 103 FM, Wack Radio, Ebony Radio, 94.7 FM, Sangeet Radio, Vibe 105 FM, i95.5, and 99.1 FM and Isaac Radio.
Television
 Television remains the most effective medium to excite and create interest and awareness in the entertainment market. Due to the fact that concentrated marketing and advertising considerations were in place to include variances in the frequency of advertising spots to create and maximize impact for each event, we were able to reach a wider market and at the same time spread the spend over various stations.
 We brought on Channel 5 in Tobago for the Tobago Heritage Festival, IETV for NACHE Dance Festival and the Streaming of the Celebrating our Calypso Monarchs on Wack TV gave the Napa Festival visibility worldwide.
 Our 12 TV interviews and recordings of some event which were rebroadcasted at later dates made Napa Festival a household name in Trinidad and Tobago.
 We believe however, that Government run TV& RADIO stations must play a greater role in recording, “LIVE” broadcast , and rebroadcast of festivals of the magnitude of Napa Festival.
Napa Fest was an unforgettable experience where team work was prevalent and support was received from our Director and team leader to bring these events to a successful close. Special thanks to the producers of the individual shows who really displayed vision, creativity and foresight and because of their immaculate timing for producing data to the marketing team, was also a vital component in the advertising schedule being kept despite the tight schedule of events, which sometimes ran concurrently.