What's Happening in Catonsville, MD…

Jim Wharton, the director of the Steel Band at Catonsville High School, brings in a guest artist every year to work with band members, and Trinidadian drummer Ken “Professor” Philmore was this year’s guest.

Philmore worked with the band for a week, then joined them for a concert. Wharton saidhaving Philmore work with the band was comparable to having Joe Flacco, the Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback, coach the football team. He called Philmore a “star arranger” and “virtuoso performer,” and noted it was an honor to have him visit the school.

The band is comprised of students from freshmen through seniors, and members learned how to perform without using sheet music, as is customary in Trinidad. Players memorize their hands’ patterns on the drums. Elena Zink, a junior, says playing by rote is challenging, but relished the challenge.

Philmore says he can’t read music, nor does he write it, but he “feels” it. He calls it a “very spiritual thing”, and says he knows music in a natural sense. Philmore hopes more young people will become interested in the steel drum. He is also working to enhance its reputation world-wide, so people give steel drums the same respect they afford the guitar, drums, or piano.

Wharton could work with brochure printers on a booklet describing the steel drums and why they are significant.