St. Ann's, Port of Spain: November 17, 2011

Honourable Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, Mr. Winston Peters; Pan Trinbago President Mr. Keith Diaz, Managing Director of Digital Business Mr. Quinten Questel and his team; Managing Director of GILL’S PAN SHOP Mr. Merlin Gill; Members of the media and other invited guests. Good morning.

The Digital Pan app reinforces one basic truth about the steelpan- it continues to exceed all expectations. Soaring beyond its humble beginnings as an indigenous form of musical expression only found in a panyard, the pan has now become a familiar addition to many music education programmes throughout the world. GillPans has recognised this instrument's versatility and has dedicated itself to broadening the communication pathways for steelband music and to enriching the multi-dimensional development of the instrument. In fact, the Digital app has continued to fulfill the Gill vision for the pan’s development started more than fifteen years ago.

The Digital Pan app was recorded using sounds from the Gill Masters Pan series. These instruments were made from steel barrels manufactured by Gill's subsidiary company, CG Packaging Systems Ltd. Each barrel meets strict specifications that have been scientifically proven to ensure accurate tuning, aesthetically pleasing chrome finish and the highest quality sound.

Besides benefitting from the best quality of steel, the Digital Pan app has also benefited from the GillPans outreach approach to pan tuning. This has led to an international assembling of specially selected tuners who are strong in various areas of the tuning process.

The pan has been able to range across a spectrum of musical experiences from the panman in a Trinidad panyard to the academic like Dr. Aurelie Helmlinger, an ethnomusicologist from France who studied the memorization of repertoire in our local steelbands for her doctoral thesis. GillPans has partnered with a network of international educators who have incorporated the steelpan into their existing music programmes. The company has supported and even sponsored.

The app promises to add to the steelpan's attractiveness as an innovative music learning tool and an instrument that is favoured for its greater accessibility to the new musician. At the 2011 Percussive Arts Society International Convention held at the Indianapolis Convention Centre between November 9-12, several music professors recognised the app would facilitate the introduction of the pan to their students. One music director was even overheard saying to her group of 7-10 year old pan students, "Now you have no excuse not to practice". The app will therefore not simply transition the pan into cyber consciousness but it will also expand its accessibility.

We thank Pan Trinbago for its endorsement of this application. We thank Mr. Quinten and his team at Digital Business, especially Christian Lalla, for bringing this project to our doorstep. Our partnership has breathed life and energy into something that promises to change the world's relationship with this indigenous voice and more importantly, further dynamize Trinidad's cultural identity in the 21st century.