Released on = August 3, 2006, 6:06 pm

Press Release Author = Basement Marketing

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = Steelpan Instrument Goes Ivy League:Graduate course with
Columbia University\'s Teachers College. An \"Introduction To World Music\" Columbia
University, Graduate School of Education. Professor Robert Stephens, Instructor.

Press Release Body = New York- A ten-man contingent of New York champion Pantonic
Steel Orchestra journeyed to Columbia University to perform, showcase and conduct a
workshop on the steelpan instrument to a class of graduate level students. The
workshop was part of the Graduate School\'s \"An Introduction To World Music\" course.
The course is being taught by Dr. Robert Stephens and is under the auspices of
Columbia University\'s Teachers College.

In addition to performing a wide variety of music that demonstrated the versatility
and skill set of the Pantonic musicians (from Paul McCartney\'s Long and Winding
Road, to John Legend\'s Ordinary People), Pantonic\'s Patrick Hypolite explains the
differences between the family of steelpan instruments. Their ranges, types, usages
and tonal differences were shown and highlighted.

Following the question-and-answer session, the graduate students experimented with
the steelpan instruments under the tutelage of the Pantonic musicians. For many of
the teachers this was their first real encounter with steelpan instruments. It was
a totally entertaining and educational experience for the participants who played
and learned parts of a song on the instruments.


Many of the students participating in the graduate course are themselves music
teachers within elite music programs at significant institutes of learning. Dr.
Stephens felt that this class involving the steelpan instrument, was extremely
important in terms of facilitating an added awareness and sensitivity to other
cultures, and alternative ways of learning music. In particular Pantonic Steel
Orchestra musicians demonstrated to the graduate level students, the strength of
learning music thorough the oral tradition, and performing at a level that was equal
to musicians who perform and learn music through traditional academic means, and
sometimes with music sheets in front of them.

A common theme repeated by the students was that experiencing a steelband such as
Pantonic first-hand, provides them with insight that they could take back to their
own classrooms. They were also of the view that it equips them to better relate to
their students in the future, who may have come through a similar experience and
culture.

click for more info: http://www.panonthenet.com/articles/ny/2006/tonic-at-columbia.htm

Contact Pantonic Steel Orchestra at : 1-718-434-0231

www.Pantonic.com | Email : whensteeltalks@hotmail.com or Pantonic1@aol.com

Web Site = http://www.pantonic.com

Contact Details = Contact Pantonic Steel Orchestra at : 1-718-434-0231

www.Pantonic.com | Email : whensteeltalks@hotmail.com or Pantonic1@aol.com