Jevanni Clairmont, 14, grandson of Massy Trinidad All Stars pioneer Hugo “Big Sarge” Pechier, and one of the young stars in the movie PAN! Our Music Odyssey from Belgrade Street, Laventille, is among finalists of the recently held Scholarship Competition of Talented Teenagers (Scott) competition.
He played pan in the competition which was held on January 11 at Bishop Anstey High School, Port-of-Spain. The young, talented Massy Trinidad All Stars pan musician has qualified to represent T&T and compete in the international competition in Hollywood, USA but is having difficulties in raising the US$7,850 needed for airfare, ground transport and hotel accommodation for Clairmont, his mother and grandmother.
The local competition has been held for the past 13 years, organised by Lee Princess Keith, head of the Women Federation for World Peace, an affiliate of the United Nationals and arm of the Family Federation for World Peace (FFWP). Rehearsals for the competition are held at the FFWP headquarters in Diego Martin.
Speaking from her Belgrade Street home in Laventille, Clairmont’s mother, Takeisha expressed “extreme pride” in her son’s achievement and described the St James Government Secondary School student as “an inside-the-house boy child.”
Clairmont added: “Jevanni has been playing pan since the age of ten. His talent comes from my backbone. Aside from my father, my big son, Jevon, and daughter, Jeanille play pan with All Stars, as well as my nephews and nieces, my family is full of serious pan people.”
Clairmont continued: “Outside of mastering pan, there is very little else that interests Jevanni. He used to run for Memphis Athletic Club but gave that up to focus entirely on pan. He will start studying music when he gets to Form Four. Jevanni’s mentor is his tutor, veteran All Stars musician Johann Popwell.
“Jevanni is an easy child to please. He doesn’t like eating vegetables but loves pelau. Jevanni lives in the panyard. Beside school that is his life.”
About Jevanni going to compete in Hollywood, Clairmont said: “We don’t have the necessary money so we are sourcing sponsors and intend to have donation sheets to raise the money.”
Keith has an excellent track record at identifying talented, youngsters who excel after participating in her competition. Former Scott achievers have been Darnell Brandon Thomas, Rozelle-Anne Polydore, Celes Bhola and Denilson Gulston.
A former student of Bishop Anstey High School, Polydore is currently a Music and French professor at Clark University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Thomas is a former St Mary's College student. Playing the steelpan, he won the 2008 local competition and went on to Hollywood to win the world junior grand championship. Thomas subsequently enrolled at Toronto’s York University where he obtained his Bachelors and Masters degrees. He is currently the musical director of the ARAS Musical Theatre Company, Toronto, Canada.
A Naparima Girls College graduate, Bhola won in 2009 as a dramatist and was awarded a scholarship to the New York School for Film & Television.
Gulston’s father, accomplished All Stars musician Dane Gulston, said when his son participated in the 2013 Hollywood competition, the experience enhanced his son’s development as a musician and lauded Keith’s efforts.
To get Jevanni to Hollywood, a deposit of US$500 is required by March 1, with the balance due by May 1. The tour commences on July 8 and the contingent returns on July 19. Lee Princess Keith can be contacted at 482-4592 or 365-9178.
