Pan in Poland - Ambers Steelband spreading the steelpan gospel and capturing many followers.
Poland is the 9th largest country in Europe (8th not Including Russia). Poland is not a small country, it is actually one of the largest ones. Poland is bigger than Italy and the UK. The name "Poland" (Polska) has a meaning. It originates from the name of the tribe Polanie, which means "people living in open fields".
Pan in Poland is entering its 6th year of existence. Born in the UK, and having grown up in schools that taught Pan in the UK, and having gone through that system, I left college armed with a single tenor Pan which I took with me when I moved to Poland in 1999. I had played other instruments at school and outside; played in both Steel Bands and Rock groups and developed a strong rock vocal which I put to use on the mission field in Poland amongst youth. In Poland, there was no Pan and very little, if any understanding what exactly was this instrument and how it could be utilised. My own Pan lay in my closet for many years, but an idea was forming at the back of my mind about starting the first school of Pan in Poland. Pan was and still is an expensive instrument and the idea seemed like a pipe dream until some very good friends of ours with whom we had been working creatively for a number of years decided they would sponsor our instruments and Ambers Steel Band was born.
The beginnings were extremely difficult, but it gained momentum thanks to a list of pupils I had been teaching English to for many years and were intrigued by this innovative concept. Other difficulties included space to practise, transport for concerts, tuning the instruments and lastly, with which we still fight today, recognition of the instrument as a viable choice of instrument to play for a wide spectrum of ages.
In December 2019, we staged a concert to include 5 bands we have had the pleasure to train in those six years. Two main Ambers Steel Bands, ‘Dreamsound’ Steel Band (made up of adults with Down’s syndrome and learning disabilities) and the newly formed ‘Ambers Montessori’ Steel Band. Officials from the city hall attended the celebration. With the help of PanExel from Trinidad (run by Ronald and Sherene Matthews) we were set to open up two more Pan Centres in Poland summer of 2020 when they were to come and lend their expertise and support, we founded a charity to help find further funding for the program. – and then Covid hit us all.
Our bands were shut down instantly, and even though in July we were able to assemble students from our two main bands, PanExel were unable to come, and the Montessori Band in all likelihood will not continue. Our plans to expand the program are on hold till 2021 when hopefully the cancelled trip will happen. The challenge going forward will be keeping those existing players motivated going forward. Many of their parents have lost jobs during the crisis, so whether they are able to afford to continue is also in question.
We’d like to ask the whole Pan community to keep us in thoughts and prayers as we try to keep this amazing instrument afloat in troubled waters and we also keep you all close to us as we know many similar ventures, even in places where Pan is well established, face similar troubles.
by Adam and Agnieszka Mold – AmberShire Centrum Kulturalno-Językowe, Poland
