The promoters of the 2014 T&T Steel Pan and Jazz Festival (TTSJF) have recruited an exceptional line-up of facilitators for the 12th annual First Citizens Workshops for Young Musicians Series, to be held October 13 to 17 at locations across Trinidad.
The workshop series, sponsored since 2003 by First Citizens, will this year introduce instruction in tabla and conga drums with sessions led by Amarnath Maharaj and percussionist Gadwin Vargas from Puerto Rico.
Joining Maharaj and Vargas as facilitators is Trinidad's Natasha Joseph, steelpan arranger, teacher and drill master for 2014 Panorama champions Phase II Pan Groove.
Also from Trinidad, singer/songwriter, producer and engineer Keithson-Jon Cruickshank will lead the workshops' vocal sessions. Brothers Michael (Ming) and Aaron Low Chew Tung will, respectively, lead workshops in keyboard and guitar.
The brothers' numerous musical and educational endeavours include Michael leading the Caribbean-jazz ensemble Elan Parle, while Aaron who holds a BFA, plays with the fusion band Hyjnx.
Latin Grammy nominee, trumpeter Charlie Sep�lveda, professor in Latin Jazz standards and Afro-Cuban music at Puerto Rico's Conservatory of Music in San Juan, will return as the workshop's lead facilitator.
"I have played all kinds of music as a (lead) musician and a sideman, so students will get improvisation lessons and learn how to play in ensembles as they perform my songs and songs by Trinidadian musicians," Sep�lveda said.
Assisting Sep�lveda, as he did last year, is bassist Gabriel Rodriquez, a lecturer at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. Raul Maldonado, a well-known session musician, lecturer and studio owner will lead the drum clinic.
More than 450 hopeful musicians have participated in The First Citizens Developmental Workshops for Young Musicians each year. The TTSJF promoters created the series as an educational complement to the event's renowned evening concert programme, which showcases the finest in jazz and steelband music.
Each workshop attendee will receive a personalised Certificate of Participation. Interested students are asked to pre-register online at: http://www.steelpanjazzfestival.com/events/workshops.html.
TTSJF workshops
�2 October 13, San Fernando
�2 October 14, Arima
�2 October 15, Mayaro
�2 October 16, Port-of-Spain
�2 Workshops are held between 8.30�11.30 each morning.
�2 A 30-minute concert by students and facilitators follows each instructional session.
�2 For further information, call 378-4837, 399- 3008 or visit the Facebook page: Youngmusiciansworkshop.