JOVANKA Williams is known as the local ‘Queen of Pan’- and why not? At 27, she is at the forefront of the new age of `Steelpan’ in Guyana.

Years ago, when she attended the St. Gabriel’s Primary School, the Parkside Steel Orchestra was housed there. She shared that she was in Trinidad slightly before, through her church, and she was given a brief introduction to the instrument – and when she returned, she opted to join the orchestra.

But this orchestra had established a junior band at the time- the Pan Wave Steel Orchestra, and she joined there. “Basically it’s like she grew up with the band,” she said.
Since then, Williams has made pan a part of her daily life and has sought to refine her individual skills and as part of a band.

“Pan is everything for me- I live it, I play it, I teach it and I’m still learning from others as well,” she shared.
Currently, she is a member of three steelbands- the Caribbean Airlines Parkside Band, the National Steel Orchestra and the Kunjazz Steel Ensemble. And each band carry a great degree of respect.
The Parkside Band and the National Steel Orchestra have been going head-to-head for the large band title in the annual Panorama competition- though, this year, they both lost to the Guyana Police Force Band. And, `Kunjaz has been staking its claim in the smaller band category.

In fact, this year, the `Kunjazz Ensemble ‘got its ‘three-peat’ in the PanJazz category held at the Theatre Guild, days before the highly anticipated Large Band Competition.
“When it is Panorama session, it is very hectic and we have long nights,” Williams shared.
She has won several duet competitions. But in her own, as a soloist player, she has been very prolific- earning the senior solo title four times.
“I know everybody was looking out for me in the senior soloist competition this year, but I took a pause because I needed to take a break – and focus on the large band category,” she said.

This year, she played alongside Don Johnson in the Duet Competition and with the KunJazz Ensemble in the smaller competition, while she played with the Parkside Orchestra in the larger competition.

“I’m going to be back next year,” she said however. And on that note she warned that her competition should start preparing from now.