Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Colorado Pan Festival is on the Horizon

Pack the Subaru with dog and go. Once in Denver, find ethnic cuisine. This time around, it was Middle Eastern on night one, Indian on night two. Dog park for socialization with "city dogs," Gabe's old designation. Shop for new phones and now Blackberry's to "enhance life." Really? We'll see...

The important aspect to this trip as it pertains to my blog was a meeting with some fine gentlemen who are widely known for their pan playing and programs. A lunch meeting in a Golden, CO cafe with the following:

Don Prorak- leader of Pan Jumbies, the CSU Steel Drum Band, and others, as well as a board member for the local musician's union.

Rick Henson, pan player, educator, and director of the Rocky Mountain Steel Bands.

Tom Miller, one of the big names in steel drum bands. Among other things (like directing Denver University's Lamont School of Music Pan Program), he is the president of Pan Ramajay Productions, curiculum director of the Manette Steel Drum Workshop, and is a well-known recording artist.

The topic for the meeting was the creation of a western states pan festival and our target is April 2010. The idea would be to host other bands (including ours), do clinics during the day, and have the featured artist(s) perform in the evening, with a concluding mass band performance. I cannot wait to help make this happen. There's a great amount of experience amongst the group and I have no doubt it'll be a success.

If you know of anyone interested, do not hesitate to contact us!

J-

No comments: