UK NATIONAL STEELBAND PANORAMA 2022 ROUNDUP - CROYDON STEEL ORCHESTRA

Aug 22

Aug 22 UK NATIONAL STEELBAND PANORAMA 2022 ROUNDUP - CROYDON STEEL ORCHESTRA

Croydon Steel Orchestra is a youth and community steel band based in the London Borough of Croydon, which was set up in 2000. CSO was reformed after their predecessor, Croydon Schools Steel Orchestra folded. The orchestra consists of musicians from two regional area steel bands in Croydon: New Addington and Woodside. The orchestra's musical director is Paul Dowie and he is responsible for the musical arrangements. CSO aims to promote “pan” as a style of music and the steel band as a family of instruments in their own right. CSO also aims to promote the tuition of steel band in schools, enabling as many children as possible the opportunity to learn the art of pan.

CSO has been competing in the UK National Steelband Panorama competition since 2003 (see list below). Paul Dowie, the Founder and Musical Director/Manager of this steel orchestra has certainly created a musical platform for the young people of Croydon and surrounding boroughs to attend, learn, experiment, explore and perform musical renditions in various genres at numerous venues. Their players were part of the UKASPO who played at the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022 at Buckingham Palace.

Paul continues to inspire his band of youthful, talented and energetic players to achieve their best results at all times. The following arrangers have done the musical arrangements for Croydon in the stated years. In 2009 and 2014 - Arddin Herbert, 2015 and 2016 – David Ijaduola and 2017 – Brent Holder MBE