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Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra captures the hearts and minds of Montréal for F.I.S.M.

Montreal International Steelpan Festival

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Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra perform in Montreal
Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra perform in Montreal

Montréal, Quebec,  Canada - With the results of two competitions now in hand, Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra closed out the 10th Annual Montreal International Steelpan Festival (F.I.S.M. - Festival International de Steelpan de Montréal) with a varied repertoire that showcased even more, their musical skill set and performance abilities.  The crowd was very pleased with their presentation which included classic hits like Thriller (Michael Jackson), La La (Lord Nelson) and Mo Wuk (Patrice Roberts), among many others.

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As steelpan music rang out through Place Émilie-Gamelin in downtown Montreal, Starlift Juniors were high on their accomplishments, and proud of their representation of their homeland of Trinidad and Tobago.  Fresh from competing earlier in the afternoon both in the ‘Adult Panorama’ and placing second, while copping top honors in the ‘Junior Panorama’ - the results were the same in both ‘tune categories.’  The band played the identical songs in both groupings:  for their “Tune of Choice” played in calypso tempo, Starlift Juniors chose the Beatles’ classic Yesterday, while they went to “war” with Edwin Pouchet’s Battle Zone for their current Calypso arranged “Panorama style.”  Both tunes were arranged by Barry Mannette.  The Montreal crowd on hand was obviously totally enamored with the group. They were lustily cheered on because of the quality of their performance.

Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra perform in Montreal
Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra perform in Montreal

Beyond the music and great performances delivered by Starlift Junior steel orchestra, is the remarkable story behind the journey, including the financial challenges and hurdles overcome - to make it all the way to Montreal, Canada.  Every single business organization and government official and Ministry approached in Trinidad had turned them down in terms of assistance.  Musical Director and arranger for the orchestra Barry Mannette said that they essentially “received no help” from the government of Trinidad and Tobago - the home of pan and where the steelpan is the “national instrument.”

This truly had been a ‘solo act’ for months with supporters, friends and family, and fundraising activities coming in to play, to ‘drum up’ the necessary funding to make the trip from Trinidad to Montreal even possible.  “The whole experience was a monumental undertaking!” exclaimed Mannette  to When Steel Talks.   “But it was all worth it.  Look at them,” he said, pointing to the youngsters, “look how happy they are!”  And he was also extremely pleased at the accomplishments of the thirty young steelpan musicians ranging in ages ten through eighteen years.  Nine adults functioning in management and chaperone capacities accompanied the group from Trinidad.

Their story began almost one year ago after Mannette became aware of the Montreal International Steelpan Festival through When Steel Talks’ coverage of the 2009 event. He contacted the event organizers and expressed the band’s desire to appear at the 2010 show.  By September 2009 the band had in hand, their invitation letter from the organizers, upon which the reality of “how on earth were we going to pull this off” (funding for the trip) hit home!

Starlift Juniors in Montreal
Starlift Juniors in Montreal

What Starlift Juniors’ management and supporters were able to achieve in the next few months could only be described as ‘phenomenal.’  The valuable lessons learned through this exercise allowed the music organization to call upon and develop extraordinary entrepreneurial skills, innovativeness and business savvy.  These will not soon be forgotten, if ever, and others may want to look into their model for what turned out to be a hard-won and successful venture.

The management of the band not only dealt with the fundraising for travel and related appearance expenses; they also engaged and arranged their flights, lodging, and ground travel in Montreal.  The young steelpan musicians moved like a small army - very efficient - and could be seen emerging from the Metro (subway) for their show.  Due to the prohibitive costs of shipping steelpan basses up from Trinidad, it had turned out to be a ‘godsend’ that hosts Salah’s Steelpan Academy utilized the same configuration of bass instruments.  The young bassists happily ‘jumped into the saddle’ and played on.

Barry Mannette, arranger and musical director for Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra
Barry Mannette, arranger and musical director for Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra

Event organizer Salah Wilson was very impressed with Starlift Junior’s commitment, crediting their leaders and the parents for their success.  “Barry Mannette really took charge!” says Salah.  Mrs. Wilson - wife of Salah - and assistant director of Salah’s Steelpan Academy, was also quite taken with Barry Mannette’s respect for his young charges, and his rapport with them.  This is Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra’s first international tour; and the experience gained and lessons learnt will have an extraordinary impact on the shaping of the lives of these young musicians for years to come.

Starlift Juniors Steel Orchestra perform for crowd in downtoan Montreal
Starlift Juniors Steel Orchestra
perform for crowd in downtown Montreal

Also - the friendships that blossomed among the young musicians of all the groups present:  Starlift Juniors, St. Monica’s, Coronation School and Salah’s Steelpan Academy, were most evident.  The excited youngsters could be seen exchanging hugs, picture poses with each other, Facebook profiles on their phones and dancing together coming toward the end of the evening.  These friendships and interactions are truly the building blocks for lifelong relationships. 

The power of the pan was truly crystallized in this setting.  It yet again showed that steel pan is far more than simply an instrument.  In addition to the fertile ground to forge new friendships, the opportunities for travel to places normally unreachable for these young people, are priceless. 

Trinidad and Tobago should be extremely proud of Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra, both in terms of their performance, and how they conducted themselves - they were truly skilled and gracious young ambassadors!

Contact Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra:  bmannette@hotmail.com
Contact festival organizer Salah Wilson: salah@steelpanplus.com

Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra
Starlift Junior Steel Orchestra in Montreal

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