Forty-five awards will be handed out to deserving individuals, steelbands, and organizations when Pan Trinbago hosts its annual awards function. The gala event will take place at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on Saturday 14th August 2010 from 7:00 pm. The awards are in the categories of Tuners, Pioneers, Arrangers, Friends of the Steelband, Women In Steel and Sponsors. Some of the recipients include Joseph “Pops” Rosemin, Herman “Guppy” Brown, Bertram “Birch” Kelman (Tuner), Rudolph “Fisheye” Olliviere, Allan Bishop, Francis Wickham (Pioneer), Ursula Tudor, Heloise Steele, Jocelyn Pierre (Women In Steel), Ray Holman, Steve Achaiba (Arranger), Percival Pitt and Franklyn Ollivierre (longest player in Panorama). A special award will be presented to Mr. Ken Gordon for his continued support to the steelband movement.

The formal aspect of the program will take the form of remarks from the President of Pan Trinbago Keith Diaz, Secretary Richard Forteau and Trinidad & Tobago’s Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism Honorable Winston Peters. Masters of ceremony are radio personality Sharon Pitt and Eddie Yearwood. During the cocktail hour before the start of event, guests will be treated to a documentary on the history of the Steelpan.

St. Margaret’s Boys, Renegades and Desperadoes Steel Orchestras, Lydian Singers & Steel, as well as Brother Mudada, panist Keisha Codrington and Adrianna Achaiba will entertain the audience during the Awards ceremony. A limited number of tickets are available at the NAPA Box Office from noon on Wednesday 11th August.

From its inception fifteen years ago, Pan Trinbago Awards was established to celebrate the successes of steelbands and individuals, the continued contribution of groups and companies and the promotion of the artform. Proceeds from the show will go towards the Sydney Gollop Benefit Fund for needy panists.

For the original report go to http://www.panonthenet.com/news/2010/aug/panawards-8-09-2010.htm