BOBILA STEELBAND a Catalan Steelband
by Tito Busquets & Carme Garrigo . revised by: Naima Busquets Bobila - a Catalan Steelband In L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona’s Metropolitan area), a new caribbean sound has arrived to the city. The steel pan takes part in a new public school for the arts, which is very rare in Spain. Additionally, the foundation of the first Catalan Steelband (Bóbila Steelband) is spreading the steel pan gospel all over Catalonia. Starting its 6th course, Escola de Música-Centre de les Arts is changing the cultural panorama in the most densily populated city in the Spanish territory. A little bit of history The place name L’Hospitalet, dates to the Medieval age, because Spitalet was a hostel for travellers who came at night to Barcelona, and found the city doors closed. Nowadays, L’H is always receiving extra-communitarian citizens from all over the world, and It is a very diverse city, with a strong individuality, uniqueness and collaboration. The society maintains its own identity and traditions whilst integrating the new and foreign ones. Artistic education in L’H: Escola de Música-Centre de les Arts This new public school for the arts, managed by the municipality of L’H since 2005, wants to plan a space
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where creation, education, practice and artistic dissemination interact with the city. The objective of the Escola de Música-Centre de les Arts is to democratize the access to artistic education and also to merge the society through artistic expression. Centre de les Arts has started its 6th year of activity in L’H with 875 students. Why Steelpan? You only have to look at Trinidad and Tobago and the history of its steel pan to see how this instrument is utilised as a cohesionary tool between people of different ethnic groups and the people responsible for the development of this fascinating instrument. The idea to create a steel band course came from Escola de Música-Centre de les Arts’ headmistress, Núria Sempere. She was fascinated with its history, development and sound. And obviously for its social capacity which gives students the work method - co-operation, team work and respect. Bobila Steelband Weekly practice is held at the Centre Cultural La Bóbila, and from which the band took its name owing to their generousity of lending their space to practice regularly.
Pan Podium • Summer 2011 • Celebrating 60 Years of Pan in the UK
