UK-based Rian Rigault: Playing steelpan makes me feel special
Even though Rian Rigault was born and raised in the UK, he’s aware of and connected to his Trini roots.
As he grows up, his Trinidadian father Kojo Rigault is teaching him about different aspects of TT’s culture like Carnival, soca music and the steelpan. He’s also been taught that his father’s granduncle is Neville Jules who invented the bass pan and founded the Trinidad All Stars.
But last year, Rian decided to immerse himself even more in TT’s culture, and honour his family’s legacy, by learning to play the steelpan. Rian, nine, told Newsday Kids, “I started playing the pan because I find it fun and I enjoy listening to it. “I like the sound it makes and I’ve always wanted to learn to play an instrument. “I thought the steelpan was great to me because knowing that I’m Trinidadian and I can play the pan makes me unique.”
Since last year, Rian has been learning to play the tenor bass with the UK-based Mangrove Steelband. The band practises several times a week at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill. “Learning to play the pan was pretty hard at first but once I started to play it more, it became easier.”
So far, he’s learnt to play songs with different tempos: Own It by UK rapper Stormzy (slow tempo), classical song Cannon in D (medium tempo) and Boss Lady by Kes the Band (fast tempo).
By Tyrell Gittens
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
