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NIU Steelband taking ‘Pan on the Internet’
to New Levels


 

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NIU Steelband Drops Heavy Concert with Internet Stream
 

 
 

  Assistant Professor of Steel Pan and co-director of the NIU Steelband, Liam Teague

DeKalb, Illinois, USA - This past weekend while members of When Steel Talks (WST) took in the NBA broadcast on cable television, we were equally pleased to tune into the internet broadcast of NIU (Northern Illinois University) Steelband’s annual Spring concert on Sunday.

The steelband music event was great as it was led by NIU’s Assistant Professor of Steel Pan Liam Teague, also co-director of the institution’s steel orchestra.  The music presented for the evening showed off the versatility and skill set of the band as they performed a wide variety of songs over the approximately ninety-minute, two-set performance.

The overall quality of the internet stream was quite good.  It was far superior to the internet audio and video broadcast streams we have come to expect for steelpan music events experienced through this medium.  On Friday April 24, WST was alerted to the fact that the feed and embed codes for the steel orchestra’s annual spring concert would be available - but which unfortunately left insufficient time to alert the entire WST network that they could view the steelband concert online.

 

Northern Illinois University Steelband performs at Boutell Memorial Concert Hall on campus

When Steel Talks sees this particular internet stream as an example of what the standard should be when considering a good quality broadcast of a steelpan event over the internet.  Other internet streams/broadcasts viewed and heard in the past including that of Trinidad and Tobago’s panorama and other steelband music performances always leave a lot to be desired and do a grave disservice to the instrument, its musicians and the art form.

 

 

 Assistant Professor of Steelpan Liam Teague onstage with the NIU Steelband

Armed with a suite of selections that included works from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Len “Boogise” Sharpe  and Bach, the NIU Steelband delivered a good representation and illustration of the capabilities of the steelpan family of instruments, and the wonders of a fair-sized orchestra.  It was a competent blend of a good steelband concert and technology that worked.  The video and sound quality were very good, with multiple camera angles, wide shots, isolations, zooms - the works.  Actual stage lighting may have been sufficient for the live audience, but was inadequate for internet viewers.  In this situation, spotlights would have been ideal. The musical landscape was attractively laid out and periodically featured compositions with different voices and classes of instruments, such as the collaboration of pans with the xylophone.

In addition to featuring rhythm and blues, classical and popular selections, Trinidad and Tobago composers were spotlighted prominently in NIU’s repertoire.  Beginning just after 3:00 p.m. CST (4:00 p.m. EST), NIU steelband ended their first half with one of the classic songs penned for pan and arranged by Ken “Professor” Philmore - “Pan by Storm.”  After a brief intermission, the band’s second set got underway at 4:08 p.m. with Jason “Peanuts” Isaac’s 2008 panorama contender “Ten Commandments of Pan.” 

 

 Members of the NIU Steelband

During the second half of the program, Liam Teague encapsulated the history of the steelpan instrument and its inception in Trinidad and Tobago, which was an apt prelude to the honoring and recognition of pan pioneer Clifford Alexis - co-founder and co-director of the NIU Steelband.  Teague highlighted and commended the role of Alexis and his contributions to the NIU steelband program, and also offered congratulations to Alexis on being an Awardee as one of NIU’s ‘2009 Outstanding Civil Service Employees.’  Following this intro, Alexis was additionally totally overwhelmed and happy with the opening bars of the well-known film fanfare performed on steel that followed Teague’s words ushering him to the front of the stage.

 

 Mia Gormandy makes a presentation to NIU co-director Clifford Alexis

“This one get me.  They set me up... this was a real set up!” declared an emotional Alexis as he began to thank everyone for the presentation and recognition during the concert - with the former attended to by noted panist Mia Gormandy.  Alexis - who noted that he had been at NIU for twenty-two years (at the heart of the university’s steelband program), and hoped that he would be there for many more - also reminisced about picking Liam Teague up at Chicago’s O’Hare international airport when the latter was a mere nineteen-year old, and an incoming freshman at NIU.  The journey from that point to Teague’s current position as Assistant Professor at NIU was a significant milestone, and one that made Alexis extremely proud.

 

Panist Mia Gormandy accompanied by pianist Stewart Mendelman

Moments of pride and accomplishment continued to pepper the evening, such as when star panist and current NIU student Mia Gormandy took the stage to perform, accompanied by pianist Stewart Mendelman; their performance included lighthearted interplay - well appreciated by the audience.  The NIU steelband continued on after, intending to close with Franz Von Suppe’s “Poet and Peasant Overture” and Len “Boogsie” Sharpe’s composition and arrangement of “Birthday Party.” 

With the audience’s obvious enjoyment of the delightfully high-spirited calypso number “Birthday Party,“ Teague promised them ‘one more’ selection, if they promised to stay on their feet (they were in the throes of a standing ovation) and dance.  With the audience obviously needing very little encouragement and wholeheartedly on board with the request, the steel orchestra launched into a parting dance-tempo, soca-flavored extract of the “Poet and Peasant Overture.” 

No doubt with NIU Steelband’s concert performance they solidified their fan base, and also generated new found interest and intrigue, probably attracting newcomers into the orchestra.  Look out for another captivating Spring concert next year, already on the band’s calendar for April 25, 2010.

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