Pan will always have a home at President’s House, says Kangaloo

Natasha Joseph performs at an event titled, Pan Royale: An Evening of Elegance, at President's House, St Ann's on December 3. - Photo by Faith Ayoung

AT a moment when the steelband movement is grappling with shrinking state support, President Christine Kangaloo offered a pointed message of reassurance on the night of December 3 – the national instrument will always have a home at the President’s official residence.

Speaking at the inaugural Steelpan Royale: An Evening of Elegance held at President’s House on December 3, Kangaloo said the concert was designed to highlight the instrument’s global stature and unrivalled versatility.

“The idea behind this evening’s event is to showcase the versatility of the steelpan, and in particular, its ability to command any stage, anywhere in the world,” she told guests gathered in the grand ballroom.

“We will recognise and remember that there is no stage and no forum that the steelpan cannot conquer; and that there is no place in the world in which the steelpan cannot feel completely at home.”

Against the backdrop of financial uncertainty sweeping the steelband community where five bands have lost state support in recent months, and Pan Trinbago itself has been affected, Kangaloo’s remarks carried added resonance.

The sponsorship withdrawals by state energy companies have come at a critical time, with bands are preparing for Carnival 2026 and its suite of Panorama competitions, all costly undertakings. Several groups have expressed fears about their ability to compete.

On December 3, however, the focus returned to the music and the enduring spirit of the instrument.

Kangaloo and her husband, Kerwyn Garcia, welcomed diplomats, regional leaders, beauty queens, creative luminaries, and captains of industry to the first-of-its-kind event, which highlighted the steelpan in a formal concert setting.

“For both of us, there can be no more fitting place for citizens to gather than the seat of the highest office in the land,” Kangaloo said. “We are delighted that the steelpan has a home right here, at the President’s House.”

For many in attendance, the message was clear that while funding uncertainties trouble the steelband sector, President’s House has staked its position firmly. Steelpan, born from struggle and creativity, remains not only a symbol of national pride but a cultural treasure that will always have a place at the nation’s highest seat of office.

Pan maestro Ray Holman performs at Steelpan Royale at President's House, St Ann's on December 3. - Photo by Faith Ayoung

The programme featured extraordinary performances from steelpan maestros Ray Holman, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, and Natasha Joseph, each delivering solo selections that illuminated the pan’s expressive range and its ability to embody elegance just as powerfully as it rules the panyard or Panorama stage.

Their repertoire included Christmas favourites such as Deck the Halls, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Sleigh Ride, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, and Little Drummer Boy.

The three legends later joined forces in a spirited collaboration that shifted the evening into full festive splendour, delivering soca parang crowd-pleasers like Baron’s Come Go and Scrunter’s Ma Jeffrey, to the delight of the audience.

The iconic Lydians, under the leadership of Dr Edward Cumberbatch, brought the curtains down on the evening’s showcase of pan, parang, and classics. Cumberbatch led a stirring rendition of Nessun Dorma before the ensemble delivered a show-stopping finale — a tassa-infused arrangement of the Hallelujah Chorus that earned one of several standing ovations.

With musical direction by maestro Pelham Goddard and his band, Steelpan Royale affirmed the instrument’s status as both a national treasure and a global artistic force.

As guests departed, Kangaloo and her husband stood by the exit thanking them for attending and extending warm seasonal greetings for “a Merry Christmas and a bright and prosperous new year.”