Some of the Steel Pan musicians at the 2015 Festival.
The Steel Pan Collective announced that it will be returning to Auraria campus for this year’s 2016 Pan People Music Festival. The festival will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2016 from 10:00 – 6:00 p.m. The event is in partnership with the University of Colorado at Denver’s College of Arts and Media and the Auraria Higher Education Center.
The festival will showcase the talents of steel drum musicians from around the country. This year’s headliner is Tracy Thornton, a rock pannist. Colorado’s own Pan Nation and The Pan Association will also be part of the event. Middle/high school group PanGEA from Lincoln Nebraska will also be performing. Community bands include Rocky Mountain Steel Bands and Pan Generations. Musical performances will start at noon. The event will culminate with all the bands performing 1-2 songs together. (Approximately 50 steel drum players).
Educational sessions are included in this year’s event. This year’s sponsor is Westerra Credit Union. The sessions will be held in the morning prior to the performances. Topics are: Making a Living as a Steel Pan Artist, Arranging, and Engine Room Techniques. (Tickets are required).
More information about the 2016 Pan People Music Festival, band information and performance times can be found at http://steelpancollective.org/2016-Pan-People.
Pan People Music Festival Adds Info Sessions for Public
The Pan People Music Festival has added a couple of information sessions to this year’s event. Both give the public a chance to hobnob with festival performers and learn more about steel pan.
The first session will be presented by the festival’s headliner, rock pannist Tracy Thornton. Tracy makes his living as a pan musician. Tracy’s session will provide some insight on what it takes to make it in the music business as a performer of a non-traditional musical instrument.
The second session takes a look into what drives the typical steel drum band. The session is titled “Engine Room Techniques” explores the percussion side of the typical steel drum band. This session is led by Marta Wetzel of Wetzel Pan Stands.
Both sessions are open to the public. There is a charge to attend. For more information on the education sessions and the 2016 Pan People Music Festival, go to http://steelpancollective.org/2016-Pan-People.
Colorado’s First Outdoor Mass Band Performance
Denver, CO – The Steel Pan Collective added a new feature to this year’s 2016 Pan People Music Festival. It is the addition of a mass band performance. The performance will include all of the festival’s steel drum performers playing one song together to close out the event.
“It is a unique opportunity for the Colorado public to see and hear approximately 40 players performing as one orchestra,” says Skip Waugh, Executive Director of the Steel Pan Collective.
“It is something you normally don’t see unless you venture down to Trinidad during Panorama.” Panorama is the world’s largest steel drum competition.
The performance will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11th outside of the Tivoli Student Union. The festival’s headliner, Tracy Thornton will lead the mass band performance. Thornton is known as one of the world’s only rock pannist. The band will be performing Thornton’s arrangement of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. It promises to be a unique performance and one not to miss.
About the Steel Pan Collective
The Steel Pan Collective is a 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to helping coordinate and support the growth of steel pan/steel drum as a musical instrument. Our focus is on the steel pan player and our goal is to provide a support network for individuals, bands, and supporters.
For more information, please visit http://steelpancollective.org
To learn more about the festival or the organization, please contact:
Skip Waugh, Executive Director
The Steel Pan Collective
skipw@steelpancollective.org