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Last night in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the Steelband's sound once again captivated the audience. Panorama 2026 kicked off with the finals of the Single Pan bands in late November 2025, and for those on the ground, it felt like late January 2026 with a carnival in the air. The 25 competing bands gave their best performances, the judges judged; and the winner and runners-up were announced. And here we are with the results. Congratulations to San Juan East Side Symphony Steel Orchestra on your victory in the Single Pan Band Category of Panorama 2026! And if you did not know, they are repeat champions after taking the prize for carnival 2025.
Congratulations as well to all participating bands for your passion, preparation, and powerful performances in celebration of our national musical instrument—the steelpan.
It was an unforgettable evening at Queen’s Park Savannah, where the San Juan East Side Symphony Steel Orchestra erupted in celebration after delivering their triumphant rendition of “Jumbie” by Machel Montano, masterfully arranged by Duvone Stewart. Their performance secured the crown at the Pan Trinbago National Panorama 2026 Single Pan Band Finals, adding yet another glorious chapter to their enduring musical legacy.
The energy of Panorama reminds us: radio can capture the sound but not all sound engineers can get it right! Having said that, nothing compares to seeing the steelpan in full glory—the movement, the joy, the artistry.
The results for the top 10 bands are posted below:
- San Juan East Side Symphony - Jumbie - 285 points
- La Creole Pan Groove - Pan By Storm - 284
- Chord Masters Steel Orchestra—Showdown (Band Meet Band)—280
- Metro Stars Steel Orchestra - Kettle Pot - 277
- New Age Trend Setters - Mystery Band - 274 (tie 5th)
- Hope Pan Grove—Like Ah Boss—274 274 (tie 5th)
- Trinidad & Tobago Prisons Service Steel Orchestra - Moving (To the Left)—273
- Trinidad & Tobago Police Service Steel Orchestra - Toro Toro - 273
- Epic Koskeros Steel Orchestra - Toco Band - (tie 9th)
- D'Original Woodbrook Modernaires Steel Orchestra - Ah Cyah Wait - 269 (tie 9th)
The full results can be found on the Pan Trinbago Facebook page at the following link: National Panorama S2026 Single Pan Finals Results.
Addendum: A Call for Sonic Justice
While the energy of Panorama 2026 was undeniable, the audio quality of the performances circulating on YouTube falls heartbreakingly short. These unofficial uploads—often by unknown sources—fail to capture the brilliance, clarity, and emotional depth of the steelpan performances we witnessed.
However, when WACK Visual Radio took the lead, the sound quality was impeccable. The music felt alive. It honored the instrument, the players, and the legacy.
Pan Trinbago must do better. The national instrument deserves official recordings—released on YouTube or made available to cultural storytellers and bloggers—so the world can hear steelpan in its full glory. Anything less is a disservice to the artform and the artists who pour their souls into every note.
Steelpan is not background noise. It’s heritage. It’s heart. It’s ours to love, ours to cherish. We managed to get the WeCapture recordings and replaced the YouTube video with the top performances from the finals.
Let us spread awareness of the culture of the Caribbean diaspora.
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Competition: Single Pan Finals 2026
Venue: Queens Park Savannah
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Steelband Music ?
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We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please click the small triangle button in the music player below to listen now.
The song "Jumbie (Madness Muv Short Edit)" by Machel Montano is at the top, while the arrangement by San Juan East Side Symphony/Duvonne Stewart is at the bottom along with other band performances.
