As has been the norm, large conventional steelbands registered for this year's National Panorama competition will be visited by the judges and Pan Trinbago officials next week.Two judges will visit each of the zones to "listen" to the bands and give their comments while Pan Trinbago officials will conduct the head count. This will take place at the band's respective panyards and/or theatres.Fifteen bands, comprising three from the East, seven from the North, four from the South and one from Tobago will perform over a three-day period.
There will be no preliminary competition for large conventional steelbands at the Queen's Park Savannah as earlier advertised. Pan Trinbago secretary Richard Forteau confirmed this yesterday.He said: "Just 15 bands have registered for this year's competition so there's no need to hold an elimination round of competition. Instead of one judge, two judges will visit the panyards as usual, for a 'listening' session, and all 15 will go forward to the January 16 national semi-final."
The national semi-finals will begin at noon at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain on February 16Fourteen medium conventional steel orchestras will also be judged on the same day.Small and medium conventional bands will have their preliminaries from today to Sunday. Bands in the eastern region will be judged today at Arima Velodrome.Tobago bands will be judged tomorrow at Carnival City (next to Dwight Yorke Stadium).
The northern region preliminary is scheduled for 2 pm at The Paddock, the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, at 2 pm, and South/Central region bands will be judged on Sunday, at Skinner Park, San Fernando, at 4 pm.