Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra celebrates pearl anniversary

The Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra will next Monday, April 4, celebrate its 13th anniversary.{{more}}

The band which started in 1981 was housed at an abandoned building known as “Top Ranking” in Mala Village, with the first arranger being Alfred “ Two Food” Gordon.

The anniversary celebrations will kick off with a Grand Fair this Saturday afternoon at the band’s base at Sion Hill Village.

On Sunday, band members will attend a church service at the Faith Evangelical Church at Roseau.

On Monday, anniversary day, persons from the band and others will gather at the hall which adjoins the pan yard for an evening of table games.

The cleaning of the pan yard and its surrounding areas takes place on Saturday, April 9. The following day, April 10, there will be an open-air concert featuring the Sion Hill Euphonium and two other steel bands at the Sion Hill Intersection.

The anniversary activities will culminate on Saturday, April 16, with a Sports Day at the Sion Hill Village Hard Court, featuring Softball Cricket, Five A Side Football and other games.

The band last December became occupants of a refurbished pan yard thanks to the efforts of its current sponsors, the National Lotteries Authority, which has been the sponsors since 2003.

The pan yard, which measures 70 feet by 40 feet, provides more space and is fitted with toilet facilities and a storeroom for its instruments.

The band which boasts over 100 members and whose current captain is Septimus Caine prides itself on competing in every Panorama that has been held since the band’s inception.

At present, the Junior band is seeking its second hattrick at Junior Panorama, having won in 2009 and 2010, to add to previous wins in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Likewise, the senior band eyes a hattrick at this year’s Panorama.

And, President of the Youlou Pan Movement and chairman of the Sion Hill Steel Orchestra Warren Knights, who captained the band from 1991 to 2002, thinks that both the juniors and seniors completing the hattrick will be a fitting pearl anniversary gift to the Sion Hill community, which has rallied behind them over the years. (RT)