the band plays on

And now, the final bow... or so I thought.

The major symphony orchestra concert is over, with its fair share of hiccups and heart-swelling. There were times during the show that we got goosebumps and shivers from the awesomeness of the sound, and equally when we were mortified at a piece going horribly wrong. Unfortunately, the highlight of the steelpan section was far from the highlight of the show... in fact, the word cacophony was used to describe parts of it. This was in no way a result of the arrangement or composition... it's a solid piece of music. However the lack of adequate rehearsal and experience with the piece for all involved proved fatal. Nevertheless, many walked away with smiles and the usual 'congrats' to offer.

I would say I am relieved to have some semblance of time once again allocated to myself, but that is wishful thinking. One down. Two to go.

Yes, TWO.

As late as last week Thursday, we were invited to play The Messiah... the whole Messiah... in Mandeville on Sunday (uh-huh THIS Sunday). I must be out of my mind, but for some reason I agreed to this madness. And so the rehearsals continue, not only for our all-pan show in December, but for another symphony performance on the weekend.

Dare I say I am entering the life of a professional musician? Ay-yayai!

strapping in

I put it on in the morning, look in the mirror, and all is well... then all of a sudden during the day, it's poking out, like a defiant child who insists on sticking his head around the corner to see what is forbidden.

The top offers no amount of discipline, for it too seems in league with the defiant strap, hiding it away at the time when the decision is to be made, and then uncovering it thereafter. And at the end of the day, it is only I who can be blamed for their indiscipline, because I created the problem by putting them together in the first place.

orchestra experiences

There is less than a week to go to the Jamaica Symphony Orchestra concert and I think our new section, scared as hell at that very first rehearsal, has come a very far way. I will even jump the gun and say I am proud to be a part of the steelpan section before we have even performed. The actual outcome of the concert remains to be seen, but I know we have put in a lot of work as a section.

I will say this whole experience has taken me outside of my regular pan playing and shoved me into a category in which I had to improve. No questions asked.

I will do it again, if only for the major benefit I receive and for the challenge and experience, but an all-pan band will forever remain closest to my heart.

brake it up

I have long been convinced that the indiscipline we see on our roads is not just the fault of the bad drivers alone, but all drivers. Why? Because we let them. I'm very much guilty of it... after all, I want to get where I'm going, and I would prefer to have my life and car intact when I get there. But this morning, I was simply not in the mood.


An intersection, the light has turned green, but the lane in which we are to proceed has an oncoming minibus, full of passengers, blazing towards us with his horn going and lights flashing, overtaking the long line of traffic waiting to go, as he should have been doing. The cars ahead of me swerve to the left to 1. avoid getting hit and 2. get through the green light before it changes. I however, amazingly feeling very unperturbed, did not even lift my foot off the brake, forcing the bus to stop when he got to my car, releasing all manner of fabric as he did so.

The drivers behind me seemed patient enough, for now they too were stuck at a green light, but no one blew their horn. The minibus driver, though clearly very agitated, had no choice but to filter back into the lane of traffic he was trying to avoid, and now, since none of the cars behind me had swerved, he had no space to overtake the lane again... yet.