This week, Year 6 enjoyed an exciting first music lesson using steel pans, and it was a fantastic introduction to a brand‑new instrument for many of us. We began the session by learning about carnival music and the role of the calypso band, discovering how steel pans originated and why they are such an important part of Caribbean musical culture.

During the lesson, we were taught some basic playing skills and learned how to find and recognise the notes on the steel pan. One of the highlights was learning how to play a ‘roll’, which involves striking the pan quickly to create a smooth, flowing sound.

To finish the lesson, we put everything we had learned into practice by playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, carefully following the notes displayed on the board. It was brilliant to hear everyone playing together and working as a band.

We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn a new and unusual instrument and are already looking forward to building on these skills in next week’s lesson. What a great start to our steel pan journey!