The Love City Pan Dragons Youth Steel Orchestra evolved from a teen drug and pregnancy prevention after-school program begun almost 20 years ago. In 1998 a beginner band for younger children, the Baby Dragons, was added. Baby Dragons moved up to the Pan Dragons as they gained expertise and as older players moved on to work, school commitments and graduation. After a ten-year hiatus, interest among 5-7 year olds  revived the Baby Dragons, who debuted their first tune in May 2011 at St. Thomas Panorama.

The Pan Dragons number 25 at present, with members aged 8-18. Several have played nearly half their lives in the Pan Dragons, and have developed into poised, musically skilled young people with a strong sense of pride in the band, their music, and the high regard in which the band is held throughout the Virgin Islands. The orchestra includes seven sections, giving the sound incredible richness and complexity. The 'voices' range from Tenor (the soprano, or single lead pan, with 25-28 notes on each pan), to Bass, with each player surrounded by six full size drums holding three notes each. The Pan Dragons repertoire includes music from 40's pop and light classics to the latest calypsoes. Visitors to St. John will find both bands practicing in turn with instructor/arranger Samuel Lawrence on Friday and Saturday afternoons behind our green doors at the Youth Center across the street from the Cruz Bay fire station, and are welcome to stop in and listen.

The band is thrilled and grateful to be developing a growing cadre of fans who have generously posted You Tube clips of our performances for all to enjoy. Thanks especially to former Pan Dragon mom Shatik Stephens, "St John Jason" and "Thorhund" from St. Croix!
 
Here's where we are, with directions from New York, Chicago, Miami and San Juan: >>>>>

                      Pan Dragons go wild at 2010 St. Thomas Panorama, led by arranger Samuel Lawrence
                                                                       Virgin Islands Daily News photos

Aboard The World, March 11, 2004              photo by Oswin Sewer

"Five Alive" competition, with pan bands from all over the Caribbean

Antigua, November 2005 - players and chaperones	Pan Dragons relax in Antigua with Trinidad's WITCO Desperadoes

IN MEMORY OF NEKO:
The band was saddened in May 2010 by the sudden loss of long-time tenor bassman Nekwan Sprauve, who had fought sickle cell disease throughout his 15 years to play steel pan and basketball, his two loves. An ensemble of Pan Dragons played for his memorial service, and his school, Gifft Hill School, has established a scholarship and built a basketball half-court in his honor. His younger brother continues to dance behind his tenor pan; his older sister, now in college, played double second. His littlest brother, already showing the family love and gift for pan, is now a Baby Dragon, following Neko on tenor bass.




THE HARD WORK BEHIND THE SCENES:

Costs for a steel band are very high. The small pool of truly gifted instructors, musical arrangers, and tuners (who typically make, as well as tune, pans) is in ever greater demand as the popularity of steel pan has blossomed worldwide. The best come from the home of steel pan, Trinidad. Steel drums are individually handmade, formed with hammers and chisels, cured by fire, then tuned with more hammers, chromed or painted, then tuned a final time, usually with (the one high-tech touch) a strobe. The unique sound comes from overtones in each note which must also be tuned to sweeten the sound. The tuner must 'blend' not only the individual notes on each pan, but all the pans in an orchestra to give them the same tonal quality. The nature of playing them (hitting them with rubber-tipped sticks!) means the tuner must return with his hammers and strobes for regular retuning. Another continuing cost is uniforms to suit the most casual to formal engagements. And travel with such bulky and heavy musical instruments, not to mention children and chaperones, rivals that of a major rock band in cost and complexity.

Our long-standing dream of replacing the band's worn-out instruments was fulfilled in December, 2005 by a major donation from Trust Asset Management LLP, a St. Thomas-based global investments management services firm chaired by S. Donald Sussman, who is committed to securing the future through support of youth and education. Made to order by renowned Desperadoes tuner Desmond "Mappo" Richardson, the sweetness of the Pan Dragons' instruments now matches the sweetness of their music. We are fortunate also to have a skilled tuner right here on St. John, Mike Sorzano, who keeps our previous instruments in perfect tune.

Another long-standing dream was fulfilled in 2006 by our good neighbors at the Westin St. John; the band's own parade trolley has now traveled to five St. Thomas parades as well as our own on St. John at Carnival and Christmas.

Local beverage distributor West Indies Corp. fulfilled another critical need with their gift of a spacious strong delivery truck that holds all our pans and more.

The Pan Dragons welcome more solid support from our local community and the wider community of steel pan lovers. Our small core of volunteers is committed to providing the best available instruction, musical arrangement and opportunities for our deserving young musicians; yet funding for the arts is uncertain in our present economic and political climate. An operations grant from the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts  and a Community Development Block Grant from HUD fund part of our instructor's fee, and other local donors provide fundraising supplies and other services.

Topping our wish list: secure funding for our arranger and for tuning twice a year, and expansion of our overcrowded panyard so we can increase the number of children served and add an office and meeting area.

For information on booking or attending performances, to get our CDs, or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of Pan Dragons operations or projects, please e-mail us at the link below. Our mailing address:
Love City Pan Dragons, PO Box 1537, St John VI 00831-0537

The Love City Pan Dragons and Baby Dragons Youth Steel Orchestras, Inc. is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; donations and gifts are tax-exempt to the extent allowed by law.