VIDE presents: ‘Steel Pan Legacy: From Tradition to the Stage’

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE), through its Artist in Residence Program, proudly presents “Steel Pan Legacy: From Tradition to the Stage,” an enriching evening that celebrates the art, history, and versatility of the steel pan.

This cultural experience is free to the public and will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 6:00 PM at 81C in downtown Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

The event will feature a lecture and live performances showcasing the depth and brilliance of steel pan music. Acclaimed musicians Victor Provost and Dr. Anthony Hailey will lead the evening with presentations and performances on the steel pan. Following the lecture, steel pan ensembles from Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, Charlotte Amalie High School, and Ivanna Eudora Kean High School will perform in a free outdoor community concert.

Event Schedule:

  • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Lecture (held inside 81C)
  • 7:00 pm: Free Community Concert (held outdoors on the street)

The evening promises to be a vibrant showcase of culture, youth talent, and musical excellence as part of VIDE’s ongoing mission to foster arts education and community engagement. This event is made possible through the support of the St. John School of the Arts, United Jazz Foundation, Virgin Islands Lottery, and the Virgin Islands Department of Education.

John F. McCarthy is a veteran journalist in the Caribbean, writing from the "Decision Space" where survival meets the surreal. His reporting steel was tempered by a lineage of legendary editors and broadcasters, including Ed Wynn Brant (The Bomb), Owen Eschenroder (Ann Arbor News), Lynelle Emanuel (BVI Beacon), and Charles Thanas (WSVI-TV). Alongside longtime colleague Kenneth C. "Casey" Clark, McCarthy has navigated the front lines of the territory’s history—from the 1997 volcanic "snow" to every major hurricane since Hugo. Known for leaning out of doorless helicopters to capture the "money shot," McCarthy now edits the V.I. Free Press, providing the essential link between the island's colonial past and its SpaceX future.