ONE of the oldest playing steelband in San Fernando, Hatters Steel Orchestra, is also the last of two South bands which would have captured the somewhat elusive Panorama title, way back in 1975.
For a number of years, lady luck has not smiled on the band, which fell victim to thieves and was uprooted from its base at Lady Hailes Avenue in 2021 to give way to the Waterfront Development project.
Its base has been temporarily shifted to the Girl Guides Headquarters, Rushworth Street extension, until December, with the promise from project manager, the Urban Development Corporation (Udecott), to return to a permanent state-of-the-art pan theatre designed to complement the proposed ambience.
In the doldrums for a number of years, the band, under new management, is trying to revive its glory days and is looking to the youth to continue the legacy.
[caption id="attachment_968899" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Apart from learning the rudiments of the pan children also participated in arts and craft, music, drumming, etiquette, dancing and sports. - Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
It is for this reason, Pan Camp 2022 was revived after several years, with the main thrust being the creation of a Hatters Steel Orchestra Junior band.
Before covid19, initiatives to take on the training of secondary school students in preparation for the schools Panorama was explored and some students remained with the band.
This time around, the age limit has reduced and there were students as young as four years, gravitating to the national instrument.
“It is the only way forward to developing a successful band,” leader Whitfield Weeks told the Newsday.
The camp which began on July 11 ended on August 5.
Music teacher and co-ordinator Lydia Seecharan said the camp has exceeded their expectations.
Among many challenges the venue pose, such as heat and lack of water, she said it has been an experience neither the tutors Carlon Lyons, a graduate of Florida Memorial University, Wendell Bernard (retired bandmaster of the Fire Service) and the children would ever forget.
While it started out as being pan focused the camp has transformed into so much more as Seecharan said, one could never tell where the full potential of these impressionable minds lie until they are exposed to multi disciplines.
[caption id="attachment_968900" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Samuel Sandiford, left, plays pan at Hatters Pan Camp at the Girl Guides' south headquarters, Rushworth Street, San Fernando. - Marvin Hamilton[
