One hundred and sixty five students have graduated from this year’s Republic Bank RightStart Pan Minors Literacy Programme, which is part of the bank’s continued efforts to keep steel pan music in Guyana alive.
A special closing ceremony was held last Thursday at the Grand Savannah Suite of the Pegasus Hotel for the Georgetown participants in the three week programme, which facilitated both beginner and advanced-level students from regions 4 and 10, a press release from Republic Bank stated.
The initiative, Republic Bank said, is a collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and was first started in Guyana in 2010, after being part of Republic Bank Trinidad’s ‘Power to Make a Difference’ for several years. “Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited continues to strive for the sustainment of the steel pan art form in Guyana, which provides youths with another avenue to showcase their talent,” it added.
The programme was facilitated by seven instructors and focused on steel pan history, music theory, techniques of playing and steel band arrangement, the release said. There were three levels: Level One, for students who were first timers; Level Two, for students playing for six months to a year; and Level Three, for students who had been playing for over two years and which geared towards improving their skills and refining their playing technique.
According to Republic Bank, the closing ceremony included a feature address by Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Alfred King and a programme overview by Head of the Ministry’s Music Development Unit Andrew Tyndall. The Georgetown participants received their certificates and provided entertainment, it noted, while the other participants received their certificates at their respective closing sessions.
