How I Teach

Over the last 10 years, I have found that I absolutely love teaching youngsters about the steel pan. My background in music has meant that my approach has always been firmly rooted in sound musical concepts, whilst creating engaging, lessons that pupils really enjoy. I have always seen the steel pan as a musical instrument that is not separate from the broad family of musical instruments to which it belongs but an integral part of it, conforming to all the same musical concepts such as melody, harmony and rhythm. As well as the musical side of things, I always make sure that the children are taught about the instrument's cultural heritage. This includes when it was made, where it was made and it's place within Trinidadian culture generally. I have taught children from reception, right up to Key Stage 4 and always make sure that my lessons are age appropriate. One of my proudest moments in teaching was running music technology and composition classes within a group of schools in South London and facilitating the children to create their own music, which also included a school with it's own steel band. I then arranged their music for a full orchestra and performed a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, using music technology, orchestra, voices and of course the steel pans. What an honour! This was something that I am sure all the children will never forget. I certainly won't.