NewsUpper SchoolStudent LifeFaculty/StaffServiceFine Arts
Steel band members train in Morgantown
Sep 3, 2002 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Director Bill King and two of his steel drum students, sophomore Jonathan Lane and eighth-grader Daniel Carpenter, traveled to West Virginia in July to attend “Meet Me In Morgantown” the tenth annual workshop started by Ellie Mannette, creator of the 55-gallon steel drum.
The students participated in weeklong rehearsals that ran daily from 9 a.m. to noon, 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., with a seminar led by the top steel band players in the world each evening. At the end of the workshop, two bands made up of both student and adult players, under the direction of the leading players and writers of steel band music, performed a concert. Each band played three or four selections and then the two bands combined to form a steel band of about 70 players and more than 150 steel drums.
King participated in a steel drum construction and tuning workshop led by Mannette and his associates. King bought 14 more steel drums for Darlington’s program, bringing the total number of steel drums to 32. He also purchased arrangements written by some of the workshop leaders that the steel band will be performing throughout the year.
Currently the steel band meets during second period each class day and as an After-School Activity. Anyone interested in participating in this unique musical medium is encouraged to join. No musical background or steel drum experience is necessary.
The students participated in weeklong rehearsals that ran daily from 9 a.m. to noon, 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., with a seminar led by the top steel band players in the world each evening. At the end of the workshop, two bands made up of both student and adult players, under the direction of the leading players and writers of steel band music, performed a concert. Each band played three or four selections and then the two bands combined to form a steel band of about 70 players and more than 150 steel drums.
King participated in a steel drum construction and tuning workshop led by Mannette and his associates. King bought 14 more steel drums for Darlington’s program, bringing the total number of steel drums to 32. He also purchased arrangements written by some of the workshop leaders that the steel band will be performing throughout the year.
Currently the steel band meets during second period each class day and as an After-School Activity. Anyone interested in participating in this unique musical medium is encouraged to join. No musical background or steel drum experience is necessary.
