September 21, 2005
THE CLICO INVESTMENT BANK PAN MUSIC SERIES
 The CLICO Investment Bank (CIB) Pan Music Series represents a strategic intervention by the Bank in the training and development of musicians in Trinidad and Tobago to support their employability by improving their skills in a scientific way. Using the distance learning approach to education delivery, Clico Investment Bank as a corporate partner is leading the way in improving the framework and the creation of an effective music industry in Trinidad and Tobago.
The project has these components, which are inter-related to provide a holistic learning entity:
Learning to play the pan
A series of television programs, carefully crafted to provide a permanent standard teaching mechanism to educate students in the art and techniques required for playing the various pans, starting in the first phase with the Tenor Pan, the Double Tenor, the Double Second, Guitar Pan and the Bass Pan. This Television Series has as its main objective to reach the maximum amount of students in the convenience of their homes. This project fits into other programs promoted by the Ministry of Education including the Pan in the Classroom Project and fosters the intent, to give the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago the prominence it deserves as the player’s instrument of choice.
Learning other instruments
The programs instruction also includes Learning the Piano (Chords), Learning the Guitar, Learning the Recorder and Learning the Cuatro . The instructions provide support for Mandolin Players, Harmonium Players, Vocalists, Lead Guitarists and other melodic instruments.
Music Literacy
The Music Literacy comprises, a series of programs designed to teach the nation to read and write music. It should be noted that the syllabus covers Royal College of Arts Grade 1- 3 and incorporates the Ministry of Education approved curriculum that is being taught in schools. This project compliments the Orchestra in Schools program and reinforces the information that is being presented in the classroom. This Television Series joins with the clustering of other related music instruction components that strives to improve the capability of the nations musicians, making them more competitive and professional thus producing a higher quality of performances and products.
Materials
This Project is designed to be regarded as non-disposable television programming. It allows for the consistent replaying of the material facilitating the maximum usage of the lessons by a large amount of people and reducing the dependence on teacher availability. This course that is being taught by experienced professionals would be packaged in Books, CD ROMS, DVDS and VHS Video that would allow for specially designed learning kits that offer a permanent source of step by step distance learning material.
The preparation of this material, allows the learning process to include, by sight, sound, demonstration, lecturing, and practice. These materials could also be used in the school system where available audio-visual media and computers support the work of the teachers. This Project is designed to compliment already established learning approaches. It provides these advantages:
- A scientific way of teaching the steel pan that is available, in the convenience of student’s homes using local and popular music.
- It allows for professional staff and highly proficient players to instruct students in a standardized manner, through a permanent medium where the teacher is always available.
- It provides a Learning Kit of Materials that is accessible and available to support and reinforce the music syllabus currently taught in schools.
- It provides a leisure alternative to persons who are not students, but offers a family a means to get together and learn to play an instrument.
- It trains the musicians of Trinidad and Tobago to read and write music.
- Being a Television program that features the Pan it assists in placing the National Instrument in a prominent position.
- The distance learning via Television approach allows this training process to reach interested students within the territory of Trinidad and Tobago and beyond.
The project is now entitled: The CLICO Investment Bank Pan Music Series, Learning with Louis. The production of the programs was being executed at the studios of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Studios utilizing their facilities and experienced staff. The professional employed in the teaching aspects of the program include Mr. Louis Nurse MBA, Mr. Darren Sheppard, Pan Arranger/Musician from NLCB Fonclaire San Fernando and Mr. Bruce Roberts, BA .
The program transmission began on Gayelle which started on Saturday 14th August 2004. The current schedule is Music Literacy at 10:00 am - 10:30 am and 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm. Techniques of playing the Tenor Pan at 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm for a period of one year. The books or materials designed to support this learning process entitled Learning the Guitar, Learning the Piano, Learning the Cuatro, Learning the Tenor Pan, Learning the Double Tenor Pan, Learning the Double Second Pan and a Music Manuscript book would soon be available . A project such as this, would impact positively on the development of instrumentalists especially pan players and the interest in the pan as an instrument of choice in Trinidad and Tobago since the distance learning approach allows for training a larger amount of musicians at the same time.
|
