2007 sees the celebration of the 29th Anniversary of the Notting Hill Panorama, ‘Champions of Steel’ competition on the 25th August 2007 to be held in Hyde Park. For many years, Honiman’s Pleasant on Kensal Road has been the venue for this iconic Carnival event.  Since the Russell Henderson steelband played at the inaugural Notting Hill Children’s Neighbourhood Festival in 1964, organised by Rhaune Laslett, steelband music is noted as the first recognised form of music to appear at the Carnival and continues to play an important role in what is now termed the largest street festival in Europe and possibly the world with the exception of Brazil’s Carnival.

The first National Steel band competition was held in 1978 and was won by Paddington Youth Steel Orchestra led by Zac Herbert. This annual national steelband musical battle sees top UK bands vying for the coveted title of the Notting Hill, ‘Champions of Steel’ with great enthusiasm and vigour.  On the evening of the 25th August 2007 the audience at Hyde Park will witness nine steel orchestras with over 500 pan musicians who practice for hundreds of hours, play thousands of pan instruments. 

An explosion of sweet steel pan music ringing out calypso and soca musical renditions from the past as well as the present will be heard.  The audience will be in awe when hit by these inspiring musical pieces.  Steel pan has and always been the perfect machinery to promote unity in diversity. 

Over the past four years the UK pan fraternity has seen an influx of young ‘local’ pan arrangers develop into established musicians and also winning the coveted title in the likes of Kyron Akal.  Other young and talented arrangers include Brent Holder, Leroy Clarke, Paul Dowie, Chris Storey and joining them for 2007 is gifted Samuel Du Bois who will be arranging for Ebony Steel Orchestra. 

These young arrangers will certainly have a musical war on their hands when they come up against the likes of world renowned steelband arrangers Len ‘Boogsie’ Sharpe, Rudy ‘Two Lef’ Smith, Ken ‘Professor’ Philmore and Eustace Benjamin.

Bands appearing on the night are Croydon, Ebony, Glissando, Mangrove, Metronomes, Pantasia, Real Steel, Southside and Stardust. This competition will certainly continue to offer its audience an evening filled with a wealth of steelband music. The British Association of Steelbands would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Carnival 2007. Check out the following links - http://www.panonthenet.com/world/UK/2007/info.htm  and http://www.panonthenet.com/world/UK/2007/08-16-07_news.htm

NATIONAL PANORAMA COMPETITION

Previous results

Year	1st	2nd	3rd
1978	Paddington Youth	Metronomes	Glissando
1979	Metronomes	Paddington Youth	Ebony
1980	London All Stars	Ebony	Metronomes
1981	Metronomes/Mangrove		London All Stars
1982	Metronomes	Ebony	London All Stars
1983	Ebony	Metronomes	Mangrove
1984	Metronomes	Ebony	Mangrove
1985	London All Stars	Mangrove	Ebony
1986	Mangrove	Ebony	Stardust
1987	Phase 1	London All Stars	Stardust
1988	Ebony	Metronomes	Mangrove
1989 (Bromyard)	London All Stars	Stardust
1989 (INC)	Ebony	Mangrove	Metronomes
1990	Mangrove	Ebony	Metronomes
1991	Ebony	Mangrove	London All Stars/North Stars
1992	Ebony	Mangrove/Metronomes	Pantonic
1993	Ebony	Metronomes	Mangrove
1994	Ebony	Pantonic	Lambeth Youth
1995	Ebony	Pantonic	Lambeth Youth
1996	Ebony	Eclipse	Mangrove
1997	Ebony	Glissando	Eclipse
1998	Ebony	Southside	Eclipse
1999	Ebony	Mangrove	Glissando
2000	Mangrove	Ebony	Glissando
2001	Ebony	Mangrove	Metronomes
2002	Mangrove/North Stars		Real Steel
2003 2004 2005 2006	Mangrove Mangrove Ebony Ebony	Ebony Ebony Stardust Stardust	Glissando Glissando Southside Harmonics Glissando

Author : Robbie Joseph