The third season of the virtual steelpan competition PanoGrama will see 27 participants from 11 countries competing for prizes totalling US$6,000.

In a release on its website, PanoGrama said contestants from St Kitts and Nevis and Belize would join those from Antigua & Barbuda, Canada, France, Grenada, Jamaica, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, the US and the US Virgin Islands for the 2022 competition.

It said reigning champion Keishaun Julien from TT would not defend his title, and would not feature this year.

Julien said winning PanoGrama “opened the door to many opportunities for which I am eternally grateful.

"However, for 2022 I’ve decided to focus my energy on other aspects of my brand.”

He encourages all participants to be strategic, be creative and most importantly, to have fun, and looks forward to seeing all the amazing talent.”

The prizes include an all-expenses-paid trip to the Bahamas, a brand-new Perfect Steel tenor pan and case, US$1,000 cash, and a private session with a world-renowned steelpannist.

The competition will take place virtually from May 6-June 12, and will be streamed on YouTube.

The preliminaries are set for May 6-8, and the semi-finals will take place on May 29, while the curtains will fall with the finals on June 12.

2022 competitors

Antigua & Barbuda: Maurisha Potter, Malik Smith, Jawan Henry

Belize:Alexander Evans

Canada: Gabriel Chartrand, Thadel Wilson

France: Olivier Wiren, Mathieu Borgne

Grenada: Mikiel Smith

Jamaica: Kraig Bisnott

St Kitts & Nevis: Aaron Mentos

St. Lucia: Al Alexander

TT: Shaquille Forbes, Marcus Prince, Sachelle Thomas, Devon Atherley, Jamel Cadette, Deja Cain, Simeon Superville, Aquila Pereira, Tevin Shockness, Christopher Neale, Hanif Goodridge, Emannuel Joseph, Jaron Woodsley

US: David Yundi

US Virgin Islands: Miguel Bougouneau

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