NEW Steel Pans for Carnival Centre

The Isle of Wight has secured £30,000 from Youth Music to set up a steel pan project involving young people from the Oakfield and Elmfield areas of Ryde.

The project, named Youth Music Power Play – Steelbeats, will be based at the Carnival Learning Centre and is supported by Medina Housing Association, the Wessex Youth Offending Team and the Isle of Wight Council’s Extended School Service.

The funding will enable the Carnival Learning Centre to purchase a brand new set of steel plans from Trinidad and to develop a professional training programme for three music leaders who will involve the local community in the project through an outreach programme and regular weekly classes for junior, senior and adult groups. Classes at the Centre are expected to start October 2010 to coincide with Black History Month.

It is anticipated that Youth Music Power Play - Steelbeats will be regular performers at Island carnivals, involved in the opening of the Natwest Island Games being hosted on the Isle of Wight in 2011 and other regional events in the lead-up to the Olympic Games in 2012.