Trinidad - My first trip to Trinidad was in 1989 which was part of my research for my dissertation. At that time there was only a handful of women who played pan in Invaders; today the number of women in the large bands are equal in number to the men (partly due to the gradual acceptance of pan by the culture).
By Dr. Jeannine RemyIn 1989 I played tenor pan with Invaders (and I think I was the first foreign American woman to do that) and since then have found every grant and excuse to go to Trinidad for Carnival. I would often bring my students to Trinidad to perform and experience performing with Invaders. It was after their conductor Anthony Prospect died that I began a new role in Invaders: conducting and preparing them for music Festivals in 1998, 2000, 2004.
As An Arranger
My love for arranging music probably stems from my lifelong commitment as a musician, teacher, and an eclectic listener. Before arranging for steelband I used to do a little arranging (as a student) for the marimba ensemble at NIU. After purchasing a full set of pans from Clifford Alexis, I realized that I enjoyed the challenge of writing idiomatically for the instrument. In order to do performances (gigs) I realized early on that the repertoire had to please audiences of all ages and nationalities.
One of my goals in establishing steelband programs in the United States was to feature guest artists from Trinidad, introducing my students to current Trinidadian musical styles and authentic practices in traditional steelpan performance. Students would experience first-hand the talents of Trinidadian musicians and the community would welcome some cultural diversity.
Besides arranging for my University ensembles, I also did a little playing and arranging for the Showboat Steel Orchestra which performed in Disneyland. But the real challenge is being accepted as an arranger in Trinidad. My colleagues in the United States actually discouraged me from moving to Trinidad. They told me that Trinidad had enough arrangers and that I would never make it as an arranger. They said I had three strikes against me. (1) I was a foreigner, (2) that I would never grasp the Trini flavor, and (3) that I was a white female. But the fact is that I am not doing this to prove any point, to be famous, or the be a pioneer. I just wanted to take my arranging a step further...who cares about the rest of it.
