Atkinson 1

Anna Atkinson

23 February 2016

Part 1: Resource list

CDs:
Highlanders, The, Katzenjammers, Southern All Stars, Invaders, The, Girl Pat All-Girl, and
Fascinators, The, perfs. The Champion Steel Bands Of Trinidad. Various Artists.
Smithsonian Folkways, 1957. MP3.
Sullivan, Joe, Sidney Bechet, Stella Brooks, Ray Conniff, Pops Foster, Bob Haggart, David A.
Jasen, Jerry Jerome, Yank Lawson, and George Wettling. Joe Sullivan Piano.
Smithsonian Folkways, 1973. MP3.
Books:
Anthony, Michael. Parade of the Carnivals of Trinidad, 1839-1989. St James, Port-of-Spain:
Circle, 1989. Print.
Dudley, Shannon. Carnival Music in Trinidad: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New
York: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.
Norton, Noel. Noel Norton's 20 Years of Trinidad Carnival. Port of Spain, Trinidad, Republic of
Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies: Trinidad & Tobago Insurance, 1990. Print.
Price, Harvey. "Steel Band in the Middle School General Music Classroom." Engaging Musical
Practices: A Sourcebook for Middle School General Music. Ed. Suzanne L. Burton.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2012. 127-45. Print.
Articles:
Aho, William R. "Steel Band Music in Trinidad and Tobago: The Creation of a People's Music."
Latin American Music Review / Revista De Msica Latinoamericana 8.1 (1987): 26-58.
JSTOR. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.
Hill, Errol G. "Calypso and War." Black American Literature Forum 23.1 (1989): 61-88. JSTOR.
Web. 21 Feb. 2016.
Thomas, Jeffrey. "THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE STEEL BAND IN TRINIDAD AND
TOBAGO: PANORAMA AND THE CARNIVAL TRADITION." Studies in Popular
Culture 9.2 (1986): 96-108. JSTOR. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.
Websites:
"The Birth & Evolution of Trinidad Carnival." Discover Trinidad & Tobago Travel Guide. N.p.,
22 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Robinson, Arthur Napoleon Raymond. "Trinidad and Tobago History." Encyclopedia Britannica
Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
"Trinidad and Tobago : History." Trinidad and Tobago : History. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Sample Lesson Plans:
Bartolome, Sarah J. "Steel Band Style, Calypso Culture and Childhood Chants: Trinidadian
Music for the Classroom." Steel Band Style, Calypso Culture and Childhood Chants:
Trinidadian Music for the Classroom (n.d.): n. pag. Smithsonianfolkways.org.
Smithsonian Folkways. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Wood, Katie. "Catch the Calypso Beat and Put It in Your Feet!" Smithsonian Folkways. N.p., n.d.
Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
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Part 2: History and Current Culture

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago originated as two separate colonies. Christopher

Columbus discovered both islands in 1498 on his third voyage across the Atlantic. Tobago the

smaller of the two islands was overlooked and even Trinidad did not begin to develop until 1592

when Antonio de Berrio rediscovered it when he was searching for Eldorado (the mythical land

of gold). Even still, Trinidad and Tobago would only make minor developments for the next 200

years. In 1776, the Spanish government started encouraging Roman Catholics to migrate to

Trinidad with their slaves and in 1783, the government started offering tax and land incentives in

order to help Trinidads economy, population, and society thrive (Robinson, Arthur Napoleon

Raymond). Most of the settlers were French, resulting in a strong French influence in the culture.

In 1797, the British seized the land from the Spanish and soon after, the slave trade was

prohibited. It wasnt until 1838 that slavery was abolished from Trinidad. A combination of

French influence and the abolition of slavery was the root of Carnival, a Mardi gras tradition.

Between 1845 and 1917, more then 150,000 immigrants were brought in from India, China and

Madeira. Tobagos economy was weakened by a hurricane and the abolition of slavery and was

amalgamated with Trinidad in 1889 (Trinidad and Tobago: History).

By the 1920s Trinidad and Tobagos population had more than tripled (Robinson, Arthur

Napoleon Raymond) and there was also a large labor movement. The combination of a larger

population and labor movement created pressure for a greater local democracy and eventually

independence. Independence was achieved from the United Kingdom along with a membership

in the Commonwealth and the United Nations in 1962. In 1976, Trinidad and Tobago became a

republic (Robinson, Arthur Napoleon Raymond). The government in Trinidad and Tobago is

modeled off of the United Kingdoms government. The president is the head of state and is
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elected by the parliament. The Prime Minister, appointed by the President, is the head of

government. The parliament is comprised of a House of Representative (elected by the people

every 5 years) and the Senate (appointed by the President and the Prime Minister). The Peoples

National Movement (PNM) governed Trinidad and Tobago from 1956-1986. In December of

1986, the National Alliance for Coalition (NAC) won the majority of the seats. In 1991, however,

the NAC was defeated and the PNM regained power. In 1995, there was a tie between the PNM

and an opposition party the United National Congress (UNC) in which the PNM had two seats

and the UNC won the majority seats. The UNC is currently in power (Trinidad and Tobago:

History).

The climate of Trinidad and Tobago is tropical and humid. The warmest months of the

year are April, May and October and the coolest are January and February. The economy is

dominated by the petroleum industry as well as tourism and manufacturing. The official

language of Trinidad and Tobago is English, however most people speak Trinidad English, which

is a creole language. There are two main groups dominating the ethnic makeup of Trinidad and

Tobago. The first group is of African descent from the slaves brought in to work on plantations.

The second group is Indo-Trinidadians whose ancestors were immigrants from the Indian

subcontinent after slaves were emancipated (Robinson, Arthur Napoleon Raymond). In Trinidad

and Tobago there are many different religious influences because of the diversity of the

immigrants. There is a strong Roman Catholic following because of the initial Spanish control

and the French immigration. With each influx of immigrants came new religious traditions and

practices.

A strong aspect of Trinidadian culture is Carnival. Carnival began in the 18th century after

the French immigration. The ceremony became significantly more popular after the
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emancipation of slaves in 1838. Carnival was seen as a celebration of freedom and defiance so

much so that the British government tried to stop the ceremony from happening by banning

essential instruments and traditions. In 1881 there were riots against the British governor who

tried to ban the Carnival arts. These riots, the Canboulay Riots, are an important aspect of

Carnival because the foundations of the modern Carnival were laid (Norton, 25). Because of the

ban on drums and sticks, the people of Trinidad and Tobago had to find alternative methods for

playing Calypso. This was the beginning of steel pans and Tamboo bamboo. Most of the songs

still performed at Carnival today were created during this time of repression. Today, pre-carnival

celebrations start as early as the day after Christmas and continue until the Monday and Tuesday

pre lent. The most important aspects of Carnival are the calypso music, the limbo dance, the

Canboulay Riots, masquerading, and steel pan. Carnival is so culturally important to the people

of Trinidad and Tobago that it alters the way the people go about their daily lives starting on

December 26th. Steel bands start rehearsing, limboists get back in shape, and parties are thrown

every week all in preparation for the big celebration.

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Part 3: Music

As in the case in most countries, the music of Trinidad and Tobago is engrained in the

culture. The instruments derive from the history as well as the lyrics of popular songs.

There are two main groups of instruments used in Trinidad and Tobago, the steel band and the

engine room. The steel band is made up of 5 or more steel pans all of different voices. As the

pans get lower and bigger, there are less and less notes on each individual pan which is why there

are often more than one of the lower pans in order to be able to play the chromatic scale. The

first voice is the lead (soprano) steel pan. The lead pan is the highest and smallest of all the pans

ranging from middle C to Db above the staff. The second voice (alto) is called Double Seconds

because there are usually two of them. This instrument is a little bit bigger and a third lower than

the lead pan. The third voice (tenor), double guitars, is lower and bigger than the first two. The

second lowest pans (baritone) are called the triple cellos because three are needed in order to

cover the entire scale. Finally the last member of the steel band is the bass pan. The bass pan is

the largest and lowest of all the pans. Each bass pan only has three notes, each note a 5th apart.

Each pan is played with a set of two sticks (mallets); sticks vary depending on the pan they are

made for (Price, 129-130).

The second group of instruments involved in the greater steel band picture is called the

engine room. The engine room is essentially the percussion section of the band. The

instrumentation for the engine room differs depending on the style of music the band is playing.

The instruments are selected from six standard instruments. The first member of the engine room

is the conga drums. The conga drums are a set of two drums tuned in either 4ths or 5ths. These

drums are played with a rubber tipped mallet. The second member of the engine room is the

guiro or the scratcher. This instrument slightly resembles a cheese grater and is played with a
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metal scraper. The guiro is often doubled or replaced by a shaker, or maraca. The third member

of the engine room is the iron. The iron was originally a discarded car brake but more modern

irons are custom made to a specific pitch. The fourth member of the engine room is the toc toc or

the claves. The claves are essentially two wooden sticks struck together to produce a hollow

toc sound. The fifth member of the engine room is the cowbell. The cowbell is a hollow metal

instrument struck with a mallet. The final member of the engine room is the tamboo bamboo.

The tamboo bamboos are hollowed out sticks of bamboo cut at different lengths to produce

different pitches. To play, these are struck against each other or the ground (Aho, 28).

Singing is very important in the Trinidadian culture. During Carnival, while there are

select steel bands who perform, everyone joins in in singing. The songs sung at Carnival carry a

lot of history with them. The lyrics of these songs tell the stories of the injustice that occurred

beginning with slavery throughout the police attempt to stop Carnival. Because of this, these

songs are very important to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and they continue to sing them at

Carnival celebrations. The singers would also engage in a war of insultswhich remains an

important element of contemporary calypso (Norton, 30). The singing of this music is not

meant to be beautiful. It is loud and shout-like because it originated as a form of protest against

the police force.

The melodic structure of the music is mostly based off of the major scale, specifically

major triads. Most of the music consists of I, IV, and V chords. The music is very appealing to

the ear and sounds as if its for a celebration, which it is. The bass pan plays the root of the

chord, the baritone typically plays open fifths, the tenor plays the root and the third, the alto

plays the third and the fifth and the soprano solos. The rhythmic structure of the music is very

syncopated. The drum plays on beats 1 and 3 but every other instrument is playing a syncopated
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rhythm. In addition to each instrument having its own pitch combinations, they are each playing

unique rhythmic patterns. The band usually begins with an intro from the rhythm section that is

then joined by the pan chorus, and then the soloist starts in. The soloist plays in an A-B-A form,

although it is sometimes extended as the soloist is improvising.

When listening to this music, I struggled to notice dynamic contrasts. This is only

because the music is meant to be a celebration of freedom and defiance. The music is often

played in parades and therefore needs to be as loud as possible in order for the parade goers to all

enjoy it. Similarly to western music, the music of Trinidad and Tobago is played in either simple

or compound meter with emphasis on the same strong beats. The tone of the steel band is very

pingy and the engine room is very crass sounding. When it comes to singing, the society of a

whole does not put a lot of focus on the beauty of the sound, they are singing to get the lyrics

across. The people of Trinidad and Tobago learn music by rote. The leader of the steel band will

play each members part once or twice and then they will all play together. The music is played

during the festival so it is a giant celebration. People are socializing, eating, drinking, laughing

and taking a mini vacation. The music in this society symbolizes a victory and a celebration of

freedom. The history behind Carnival is the most important aspect for the people partaking in the

celebration (The Birth & Evolution of Trinidad Carnival).

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Part 4: Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan 1

5th Grade

Objectives:

1. Students will listen to Calypso music from Trinidad and will be able to identify the

instrumentation
2. Students will be able to perform a Calypso style rhythmic pattern with body percussion
3. Students will discuss the culture and history behind Calypso music in Trinidad and

Tobago

Materials:

1. MP3 of Top Cat Mambo by the Invaders

2. MP3 of Benata by the Highlanders
3. Bluetooth speakers or sound system
4. PowerPoint with pictures of Trinidadian instruments, a map, and pictures of carnival

Opening Activity:

1. The teacher will clap simple syncopated 4 beat rhythms and the students will clap them

back

Procedure:

1. Students will listen to the recording of Top Cat Mambo

a. Before playing the recording, the teacher will ask the students to think about

where the music is from

2. After the first listen, the teacher and students will discuss where the students believe the

music is from. The students will discover that the music they are listening to is from

Trinidad and Tobago.

3. The teacher will show the map of Trinidad and Tobago
4. The teacher will play the recording for the students a second time but this time will ask

the students to listen for what instruments they are hearing.

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5. After the second hearing, the students will each share the name of an instrument they

thought they heard. The teacher will fill in the holes for the instruments the students leave

out
a. Steel pan
b. Conga drums
c. Claves
d. Tamboo Bamboo
e. Cowbell
f. Metal guiro
6. The teacher will show the pictures of all of the instruments along with the pictures of the

instruments being used during Carnival.

7. The teacher will play the recording again and have the students do what I do. The

teacher will be demonstrating a steady beat along with the recording with stationary

bilateral movement
8. The teacher and students will listen to the recording again and this time they will walk to

the beat freely around the classroom. This is called chipping during Carnival because

of the leather shoes chipping at the pavement.

9. Once the students have mastered the chipping movement, the teacher will introduce

clapping on the off beats. The students will continue to walk the steady beat while the

teacher claps on the off beats.

10. The students will then be asked to clap off the beat with the teacher in a do what I do

along with the recording

11. Once the students have mastered the off beat clapping, the teacher will have half of the

class chip and the other half clap on the off beats. Then they will switch.

Closing Activity:

1. The teacher will play Limbo Dance by Lord Invader for the students and have them

listen to what instruments theyre hearing.

Lesson Plan 2

5th Grade
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Objectives:

1. The students will be able to sing the response section of a call and response song
2. The students will be able to perform the Limbo dance in Calypso style

Materials:

1. MP3 of Limbo Dance by Lord Invader

2. PowerPoint with the words to Limbo Dance
3. Bluetooth speakers or sound system

Opening Activity:

1. The teacher will put up some of the pictures from class last time and ask the students to

talk about what country the pictures are from and what the big festival is called.

Procedures:

1. Students will review the chipping movement they performed last class.
2. Students will review the off beat clapping from last class
3. The students will clap and chip simultaneously in groups of two and then they will

switch
4. The teacher will play Limbo Dance and have the students imitate the chipping
5. Then the teacher will play Limbo Dance and have the students imitate the off beat

clapping
6. The students will listen to Limbo Dance again but this time they will be asked to listen

for the repeated phrase and to tell the teacher what words were being repeated
a. Limbo Like Me
7. The teacher will introduce the concept of the call and response song with a PowerPoint of

the lyrics. The teacher will ask the students to sing the Limbo like me line along with

the recording.
8. The teacher will ask the students to talk about Limbo and ask some guided questions
a. What is the limbo dance?
b. How many people are singing?
c. Have you ever danced the limbo? When/for what?
d. Why do you think the people of Trinidad and Tobago dance the limbo?
9. The teacher and students will sing the song again while chipping
10. The teacher will then ask for a volunteer to hold the other end of the limbo stick
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11. The teacher will have the students limbo to the recording while still singing their line

limbo like me

Closing Activity:

1. The teacher will play Limbo Dance for the students and have them improvise

movements to go along with the music.

Lesson Plan 3

5th Grade

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to play a Calypso style rhythmic pattern on Orff instruments
2. Students will be able to accompany the Limbo Dance using Orff instruments

Materials:

1. Xylophones
2. Drums
3. Shakers

Opening Activity:

1. Students will listen to Limbo Dance again while reviewing chipping and clapping off

beats.

Procedures:

1. The students will transfer these patterns to the patting the floor and to sticks.
2. The steady beat is patting the floor and the off beats are playing the floor with sticks
3. The teacher demonstrates different syncopated patterns using sticks on the board and has

the students copy them on the floor.

4. The teacher will demonstrate how to use each of the instruments
5. Then each student (or couple students) will get a xylophone (with extra notes removed)
6. The teacher will demonstrate how to play Part 1 by rote, the students will imitate
7. Each student will take a turn until they are playing with 80% accuracy
8. The teacher will teach Part 2 on the xylophone next following the same steps for Part 1
9. The students will play parts 1 and 2 together until they are fluid
10. Then, the teacher will hand each student a shaker and teach Part 3 in the same way
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11. After the shaker is mastered, the teacher will teach the students the Conga drum part until

it is mastered.
12. The students will play parts 3 and 4 together until they are fluid.
13. The students will each get an instrument and the class will attempt to put all of the parts

together.
14. The teacher will sing while the students play the instruments.

Closing Activity:

1. Half of the students will continue to play the instruments while the other half sing the

response section of the song. They will switch.