Pantonic Steel Orchestra featured at Columbia University Graduate Course
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.
Dr. Stephens felt that the steelpan instrument class was extremely important in terms of facilitating an added awareness and sensitivity to other cultures, and alternative ways of learning music. 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.
This article appeared on as an Open Press Release Newswire on August 4th, 2006.
Published Sunday, Aug. 6, 2006