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Our culture is being pushed to the side; however, Steel Pan drumming teaches discipline, values, & freedom. The youth are so free when they drum for the culture.

Kesslon Wilson, LEAF Saint Vincent Culture Keeper

LEAF INTERNATIONAL SAINT VINCENT

Kingstown, Saint Vincent | Founded 2020 | 100+ Youth Served

Why Saint Vincent?

Steel Pan culture in Saint Vincent has been vibrant for decades. More recently, many youth have started to depart the area in efforts of looking for work opportunities on neighboring islands. LEAF and Culture Keeper Kesslon Wilson felt it a great need to create music opportunities for youth that help them expand their creative talents, save the culture, and make a living. With this, the LEAF Elite Steel Orchestra formalized – a youth group with a passion for preserving steel pan drum traditions.

Program Overview

The LEAF Elite Steel Orchestra was established 18 years ago by Kesslon Wilson. This program was created out of a strong desire to continue steel pan drumming on the mainland of St. Vincent while giving youth a positive cultural activity to focus on. Inspired by Steel Pan drumming himself as a youth, Kesslon proficiently learned every instrument used in a traditional Caribbean steel pan orchestra. His passion for music is matched with his passion to help youth, as he has been a teacher for more than 30 years.

Meet a Teaching Artist
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“I am personally conveying deep and sincere thanks to LEAF for their most valuable interest and assistance not only in preserving our country’s culture but also in sharing the dream and vision of protecting and saving our youths from the clutches and wiles of negative pressures and keeping them focused on the positives of skill and self-esteem building.”
Kesslon Wilson
LEAF International St. Vincent Culture Keeper

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Program Highlights

  • Hurricane Beryl hit the island in July causes massive damage.
  • Selected to join LEAF in Oct, due to Hurricane Helene, the Elite Steel Orchestra will participate in May Retreat 2025. Visas received!! 
  • Celebrated the inaugural LEAF World Drum Day.
  • Elite Steel Orchestra placed in the Vincy Mas Carnival celebrations
  • Selected to perform for Christmas holiday parade
  • Vincy Mas Performance w/ Global Engagement Director
  • Headlined Vincy Mas Carnival 
  • Performed for Panaroma – THE competition of steel pan bands (like the steel pan version of Battle of the Bands)
  • Volcano Eruption in May led to a beautiful program pivot. The Lodge Village Government School (where Kesslon works) was activated as an emergency shelter for the imminent eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano. The school was to house a capacity of 140 Evacuees but housed a constant figure to this date of 164 Evacuees. Being onsite daily, there were looks of loss, desolation and many times boredom, on the faces of the Evacuees as there was very little to do besides wait for the eruptions to subside. It was then decided to bring some cheer to the shelterees by organizing varying sporting and musical events. The LEAF Elite Steel Orchestra kicked these activities off with a Steelpan concert in conjunction with an inhouse barbecue. This happened for 3 weeks as the volcano subsided. 
  • The LEAF Elite Steel Orchestra was established 16 years ago by Kesslon Wilson. This program was created out of a strong desire to continue steel pan drumming on the mainland of St. Vincent while giving youth a positive cultural activity to focus on. Inspired by Steel Pan drumming himself as a youth, Kesslon proficiently learned every instrument used in a traditional Caribbean steel pan orchestra. His passion for music is matched with his passion to help youth, as he has been a teacher for more than 28 years.
  • LEAF International Saint Vincent’s Elite Steel Pan Orchestra is getting creative with ways to keep the world connected to their culture. They are creating videos that demonstrate drum rhythms and patterns as part of their cultural exchange series. Led by culture keeper Kesslon Wilson, the orchestra is exploring tunes that relate to youth as young as 18 months. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E-0_rprhuM&feature=youtu.be 
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Kesslon Wilson, a well known Steel Pan musician, and teacher, joined LEAF International | Kids on Pans in 2014 as the new Teaching Artist. Both leading the program forward as well as meeting the growing interest of Bequia youth in Steel Pans. Kesslon has now moved on to create his own LEAF International program on the mainland of St Vincent & the Grenadines. He is a valuable addition to the Bequia program.

Kesslon first began to learn the steel pan tradition when he was just twelve years old and has held a passion for music ever since. Inspired by his community’s steel orchestra growing up, Kesslon has proficiently learned every instrument used in a traditional, Caribbean steel orchestra. His passion for music is matched with a passion for kids, as he has been a teacher for the past 30 years, teaching steel pan for the past 19.

“As we again offer profuse thanks to the LEAF Team for supporting us, even through this pandemic, in our mandates, ideals, and aspirations we again make a call to be more directly in tune with other arms of the Leaf Community. We are proposing an exchange programme where we could have a few members of a Leaf sponsored entity visit us, or we visit them, to share, fraternize and indulge in our diversities. Such hands on, in-person liaisons and interactions are sure to produce immeasurable benefits to all concerned not to mention a strengthening of bond throughout the LEAF Community World.” – Kesslon, Culture Keeper

 

AN URGENT LETTER FROM THE LEAF BOARD:

For nearly 30 years, LEAF Global Arts has connected people through the power of art, music, and culture. Every shared moment has been made possible because of you – our community.

The LEAF Festival is critical to funding LEAF’s larger work: providing global cultural arts programming for thousands of local youth and preserving cultures and traditions around the world.

This year, we are facing a financial crossroads: between the loss of last fall’s Festival, losing a majority of our arts education funding in 2025, and not fully recovering from COVID, the future is bleak. The upcoming LEAF Festival could be our last if we don’t come together to sustain the heart of LEAF’s mission – but we have seen what this community can do when united for a cause greater than itself.

To open the Festival experience to as many people as possible, and to rally the full spirit of LEAF, we are offering a limited number of LEAF LOVE Tickets at a significant discount.

These special tickets, offered at 30% off (our highest discount, even more so than our Early Bird pricing) are our way of ensuring everyone has a place in this story. Full-priced tickets also remain available for those with the means to give a little more to help support LEAF’s vital work.

Your presence, your voice, and your support matter more than ever right now. Join us in making this LEAF Festival one that the world will never forget and ensuring the music continues for generations to come. 

Mayani is a Maasai boy from longido Arusha. He went to boarding school at 6 years old and lost his Maasai language and tradition. Since joining the LEAF program, he has learned to sing Maasai songs, practiced the ‘jump’ tradition and wear Maasai shukas (traditional clothing). Mayani is extremely happy and is currently teaching other youth the culture.

 

 

 

 

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