Meet the team
The founders met through a shared passion for pan and want to make a bigger impact working together.
“We’ve seen hundreds of children and adults benefit from playing pan down our decades of teaching in schools and communities. We want even more people to enjoy wonderful steel pan.“
Ruth has a background in healthcare business development and worked extensively within VCSE, informing her belief in the power of music to uplift and connect people across our wonderful multicultural society.
A steel pan fan since childhood, she continues to learn and hopes to improve, but mainly plays for the camaraderie and the good vibes.
Ruth Champions the unsung heroes of community music groups and a UCL MA in Creative Health highlights the growing evidence supporting ancient wisdom - that taking part in music-making is good for us all.
Ruth
Marlon is a talented musician who was inspired by pan as a teenager to teach other young people and successfully established his acclaimed Endurance Steel Orchestra in 2009.
In 2022, Marlon became the very first graduate of steel pan & jazz at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
With international performances and media appearances under his belt, Marlon is introducing live pan to mainstream audiences and integrating the acoustic instrument into a broad range of music collectives and ensembles.
Marlon’s vision is to see a National Youth Orchestra provide high quality progression for young ‘pannists’ in the UK. Steel Pan has not enjoyed the same level of support of other instrumental ensembles and Marlon is pushing for change.
Marlon
Chris
Chris is a highly regarded musician and teacher who was awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2022 King’s New Year’s Honours, for his dedication to his local community and welcoming everyone to his music groups, as safe & positive spaces.
Chris is founder director of Pan Nation Steel Orchestra, a community-based group with more than 150 dedicated members, built during Chris’s 20 years of teaching.
Chris’s talent for composing was proven when his 100+ musician orchestra placed 3rd in the National steel band competition in 2022 - his very first UK Panorama.
An accomplished educator, Chris is a PRSSV accredited pan teacher and Haringey’s steel pan lead and now the North Central London HLO lead.