EULAC_6644 Sterling Betancourt MBE  FRSA "Sterling Betancourt was born 1 March 1930 in Laventille, Trinidad. \r\nIn his early years, he was a member of one of the local Laventille Tamboo Bamboo bands until he became a tenor pan player in Tripoli steel band. He later progressed to become a band member and the tuner for Crossfire, a steel band he was more notably associated to during the 1940s.\r\nHis skills on the pans earned him selection for TASPO (The Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra) which was formed to participate in the Festival of Britain in 1951. This tour became a defining point in his career as he decided to remain in England with his pan and promote this new found musical art form.\r\nIn 1952, Sterling Betancourt joined forces with a fellow Trinidadian musician, pianist Russell Henderson, to record some of Henderson\u2019s piano music. Later the Russ Henderson Steel Band was formed along with Mervyn Constantine. A defining point for the band came in\u00a01964 when the band was invited to play at the opening of a Children\u2019s Carnival in Notting Hill.\u00a0The invite came from Rhaune Laslette, a Notting Hill resident and local social worker, who was organising the event. \r\nIn keeping up with the tradition of the\u00a0Trinidad\u00a0carnival at that time, the steel band began an impromptu march through the streets, enticing some of the onlookers to take part in the procession.\u00a0This led to the start of the Notting Hill Carnival in 1965 with steel band music as the music of choice.\r\nBetancourt has taken Pan to many countries throughout Europe and Asia and as recognition for his contribution he was awarded Trinidad and Tobago\u2019s Scarlet Ibis award, a University of East London Fellowship, an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) and made a member of FRSA for his commitment in promoting steelpan culture throughout the United Kingdom, and pioneering steelpan projects in English schools" This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 693669. Person TEXT University of St Andrews EULAC "Sterling Betancourt was born 1 March 1930 in Laventille, Trinidad. \r\nIn his early years, he was a member of one of the local Laventille Tamboo Bamboo bands until he became a tenor pan player in Tripoli steel band. He later progressed to become a band member and the tuner for Crossfire, a steel band he was more notably associated to during the 1940s.\r\nHis skills on the pans earned him selection for TASPO (The Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra) which was formed to participate in the Festival of Britain in 1951. This tour became a defining point in his career as he decided to remain in England with his pan and promote this new found musical art form.\r\nIn 1952, Sterling Betancourt joined forces with a fellow Trinidadian musician, pianist Russell Henderson, to record some of Henderson\u2019s piano music. Later the Russ Henderson Steel Band was formed along with Mervyn Constantine. A defining point for the band came in\u00a01964 when the band was invited to play at the opening of a Children\u2019s Carnival in Notting Hill.\u00a0The invite came from Rhaune Laslette, a Notting Hill resident and local social worker, who was organising the event. \r\nIn keeping up with the tradition of the\u00a0Trinidad\u00a0carnival at that time, the steel band began an impromptu march through the streets, enticing some of the onlookers to take part in the procession.\u00a0This led to the start of the Notting Hill Carnival in 1965 with steel band music as the music of choice.\r\nBetancourt has taken Pan to many countries throughout Europe and Asia and as recognition for his contribution he was awarded Trinidad and Tobago\u2019s Scarlet Ibis award, a University of East London Fellowship, an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) and made a member of FRSA for his commitment in promoting steelpan culture throughout the United Kingdom, and pioneering steelpan projects in English schools" "Sterling Betancourt was born 1 March 1930 in Laventille, Trinidad. \r\nIn his early years, he was a member of one of the local Laventille Tamboo Bamboo bands until he became a tenor pan player in Tripoli steel band. He later progressed to become a band member and the tuner for Crossfire, a steel band he was more notably associated to during the 1940s.\r\nHis skills on the pans earned him selection for TASPO (The Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra) which was formed to participate in the Festival of Britain in 1951. This tour became a defining point in his career as he decided to remain in England with his pan and promote this new found musical art form.\r\nIn 1952, Sterling Betancourt joined forces with a fellow Trinidadian musician, pianist Russell Henderson, to record some of Henderson\u2019s piano music. Later the Russ Henderson Steel Band was formed along with Mervyn Constantine. A defining point for the band came in\u00a01964 when the band was invited to play at the opening of a Children\u2019s Carnival in Notting Hill.\u00a0The invite came from Rhaune Laslette, a Notting Hill resident and local social worker, who was organising the event. \r\nIn keeping up with the tradition of the\u00a0Trinidad\u00a0carnival at that time, the steel band began an impromptu march through the streets, enticing some of the onlookers to take part in the procession.\u00a0This led to the start of the Notting Hill Carnival in 1965 with steel band music as the music of choice.\r\nBetancourt has taken Pan to many countries throughout Europe and Asia and as recognition for his contribution he was awarded Trinidad and Tobago\u2019s Scarlet Ibis award, a University of East London Fellowship, an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) and made a member of FRSA for his commitment in promoting steelpan culture throughout the United Kingdom, and pioneering steelpan projects in English schools\r\n" Story