Brent Holder continues to reap rewards on his musical journey

During his time at the Youth Club, he also able to play with Potential Symphony and Blue Diamonds steel orchestras at the Trinidad and Tobago National steelband Panorama competition. The youth club also competed in many school festivals until they were victorious at the School Steelbands Music Festival in 1991. In that same year, at the age of thirteen, Brent played with the infamous Renegades Steel Orchestra at the T&T National Steelband Panorama competition. They attained second place playing ‘Rant and Rave’. Brent’s pan playing skills continued its development cycle whilst he was at Renegades steel orchestra for eight years.

He was also a member of Solo Pan Knights orchestra for a few years. After returning home from touring in 1998, Brent travelled to England with some members of Solo Pan Knights, after the bands manager, Owen Serrette, invited him to join as the bands arranger and drummer. They played with Ebony Steel Band for the Notting Hill Panorama and won the competition. Brent immigrated to Britain and continued playing with Ebony for six years.

Brent is no stranger to competitions and following are some of his achievements:
1. '95 Junior Steelband Music Festival - 2nd place in the soloist category playing 'Patience'(own composition)
2. '96 Pan is Beautiful - 1st place in the soloist category playing 'Patience'(own composition)
3. '97 Junior Steelband Music Festival - 2nd place in the soloist category playing 'Voices of Steel'(own composition)
4. '98 Pan is Beautiful - 1st place in the soloist category playing 'Voices of Steel'(own Composition)
5. '00 World SteelBand Music Festival - 2nd place in the soloist category playing 'Musical Antics'(own Composition)
6. '01 Pan Explosion - 2nd place in the soloist category playing 'Musical Antics'(own composition)
7. '02 Pan Explosion - 1st place in the soloist category playing 'Voices of Steel'(own composition)

Brent’s arrangement of the musical piece ‘Free Up’ saw Solo Pan Knights placing second in the Point Fortin Borough Day competition in 1999. Brent was also one of Ebony’s Steelband Trust’s house arrangers. He stated that composing is not easy and needs lots of focus and determination. His domination of the British Association of Steelbands’ Pan Explosion 2002 competition proved this. His own composition 'Daylight' was one of the songs Ebony played to win the 2002 Pan Explosion. Brent stated ‘I felt very good because I didn't play someone else’s music. I composed my own. Pan Explosion is a good competition that allows the youth in the steelpan fraternity to show their artistic abilities and also provides an audience for their music to be heard.’ In 2002, he started his own group called Caribbean Steel International which consists of a 3 or 4 piece steel band. They perform at corporate events, wedding receptions, birthday parties and the like, and are one of the resident Steel bands at the Holiday Inn, Kensington, Caribbean Experience evenings.


For the past few years Brent has been a visiting tutor for the Co-Musica Project and the Weekend School at the Sage Gateshead, Newcastle, UK. He continues to teach the Steel pan instrument in several London schools. Recently, Brent had the opportunity to work with Stardust Steel Band and arrange their 2005 panorama tune incorporating some members from his Newcastle project. Brent was able to lift Stardust to 2nd place in the Notting Hill Panorama, Champions of Steel competition, the last time they achieved this placing was back in 1989.


Brent released his first CD; a Xmas album in 2002 and is looking forward to releasing a Classic and Jazz album in the near future. Brent has stated that he is looking forward to the many challenges that still face him in his musical career with great enthusiasm and faith. Pan Podium recognises Brent as a success for the youth in pan and wishes him all the best in the future. pictures >> http://www.panonthenet.com/articles/uk/brent2005.htm