Adding Steel Drums to a School Band Program

Hi Mr Lewis,

Since I've started teaching steel drums on the cruise ships I'm getting a lot of inquiries about stuff like this. I'm setting up on-line curriculum for learning steel drums. The original idea was actually to set up on line curriculum to help band teachers like yourself keep their percussionists productive and occupied while they work with other parts of the band. I hope to add that part after I get the basic steel drum curriculum up and running.

The site is also where I'm trying to channel questions like this. It is a social network, so people can read questions that others have asked me as well and what my response has been, and they can share information with each other.

Here is the group that I set up for those interested in purchasing a steel drum:

https://iandobson.ning.com/group/purchasingasteelpan

You need to sign up for the site in order to access all the information and discussions, but you can elect to only receive a couple of emails per year from the site, so it shouldn't be bothersome. In any case, if you are considering incorporating pan into your program I would love to have you as a member.

The long term goal is for students to be able to work with me via the internet, mentor each other via internet and in person, and have me be able to go out to the school and do periodic clinics in person with the steel drummers and eventually with percussion sections.

So, I'll go ahead and post this as a new discussion in the purchasing steel pan group. If you don't mind adding onto it there if you have other questions or ideas that would be super!

To answer your question more precisely I will need to know if you are looking potentially for an entire steel drum orchestra or just one or two instruments. The orchestra can of course accommodate more students and it is a fabulous way to get kids into music, even those that don't have formal training in reading and such. They love it!

Let me know what you had in mind regarding that if you would.

Purchasing a Steel Pan

This group is for everyone interested in buying or renting a steel pan.

Replies

Ian Dobson March 26, 2012 at 6:49pm

Hi Mr Lewis,

Since I've started teaching steel drums on the cruise ships I'm getting a lot of inquiries about stuff like this. I'm setting up on-line curriculum for learning steel drums. The original idea was actually to set up on line curriculum to help band teachers like yourself keep their percussionists productive and occupied while they work with other parts of the band. I hope to add that part after I get the basic steel drum curriculum up and running.

The site is also where I'm trying to channel questions like this. It is a social network, so people can read questions that others have asked me as well and what my response has been, and they can share information with each other.

Here is the group that I set up for those interested in purchasing a steel drum:

https://iandobson.ning.com/group/purchasingasteelpan

You need to sign up for the site in order to access all the information and discussions, but you can elect to only receive a couple of emails per year from the site, so it shouldn't be bothersome. In any case, if you are considering incorporating pan into your program I would love to have you as a member.

The long term goal is for students to be able to work with me via the internet, mentor each other via internet and in person, and have me be able to go out to the school and do periodic clinics in person with the steel drummers and eventually with percussion sections.

So, I'll go ahead and post this as a new discussion in the purchasing steel pan group. If you don't mind adding onto it there if you have other questions or ideas that would be super!

To answer your question more precisely I will need to know if you are looking potentially for an entire steel drum orchestra or just one or two instruments. The orchestra can of course accommodate more students and it is a fabulous way to get kids into music, even those that don't have formal training in reading and such. They love it!

Let me know what you had in mind regarding that if you would.

Purchasing a Steel Pan

This group is for everyone interested in buying or renting a steel pan.

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