AMERICAN novelist Sarah Dessen once said: “Music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common.”

These words proved true last Sunday afternoon when thousands of Guyanese of all ages and from all walks of life gathered on the Kingston beach for Republic Bank’s 15th Mashramani Panorama competition.

Based on the interactions among those in attendance, they didn’t come to just support their favourite band; they had a genuine love for steel-pan music.

All divisions and disagreements were forgotten, and all eyes were fixated on the stage where bands in the youth and large categories used their creative talents to woo the judges and the audience.

Some added dancers, short skits and décor to boost the quality of their performance, much to the delight of the crowd.

Many excited Guyanese took up positions at the front of the stage where they sang and gyrated with each other, in many instances with people they had never seen or met before that day. This was unity; this was the magical power of music at work.

Music in all its forms, whether it’s the steel pan, the drums, or melodious singing on stage has always connected people. That is the true beauty of music.

The popularity of steel pan music in Guyana over the decades has fluctuated. However, within recent years, there has been evidence of increasing interest at all levels in this art form, which can be traced back to the enslaved Africans who were brought to the Caribbean during the 1700s.

The only disappointment about last Sunday’s event was that it lacked school participation. The presence of a handful of school bands does not augur well for the future for this genre of music, particularly when the Education Ministry has indicated its full support for music, and when millions of dollars are being pumped into it.

In addition to the millions of dollars Republic Bank spends to host the annual event, the Ministry of Education has stepped forward to play its part.

Towards the end of January this year, the Three Miles Secondary School in Region Seven, the New Amsterdam Secondary School in Region Six, and the Tutorial High School in Georgetown each received steel pans, which are to be used to boost and enhance their music programmes.

Administrator (ag) of the Unit of Allied Arts, Kurt Braithwaite had said during the handing over ceremony that the objective of the $19 million venture was to help get steel pan music back into schools. Some 34 secondary schools in the country are now equipped with steel pans, but it is unclear how many of them actually take it seriously.

Why so few schools participated this year is anyone’s guess, but the loss of practice time due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have been responsible. In years gone by, as many as 17 schools have participated at one time.

This year, Tutorial High School, North Ruimveldt and Queen’s College were among those participating in the youth category, and as expected, they each had their support base who happily cheered them on as they played. The latter’s steel orchestra was revived recently to take part in this competition.

The young pannists bounced and sang as their sticks hit the pans, unleashing a sweet melody.

Missing from the competition were West Demerara Secondary, The Bishop’s High School, President’s College, and Patentia Secondary School, which participated the last time around. The Guyana Police Force ‘B’ Division Youth Band, and GBTI Buxton Pride have been regular participants over the years.

With all that is being done to keep this part of our culture alive, one can only hope that more youths pick up the sticks before next year’s competition; it would be a thing of beauty if all 34 schools participate in this activity.

We already have many talented pannists around, a steel pan museum established by the renowned Roy Geddes, scores of children who have developed the necessary skills, and those who can turn each drum into a masterpiece.

Like Trinidad and Tobago, the steel pan can become a treasured part of our culture, with the potential to significantly contribute to a One Guyana. However, this can only happen if we really want it to.