Steelpan in Worship Service

The role of steelband throughout the structure of conventional Caribbean church services varies across denominations and individual church congregations—though there are some consistencies that appear regularly across the region. Considering the historical connections between missionaries in the Caribbean archipelago and European colonialism, it is little wonder that the typical structure of Christian worship service in the Caribbean church is similar to that of their North American and European counterparts. Most follow the general pattern of Invocation, Confession and Absolution, Introit, Kyrie, Hymn of Praise, Word of God/Sermon, Creed, Offertory, Meal/Eucharist/Sacrament, Benediction, and Closing. Across the Caribbean’s congregations and denominations, music is ubiquitous in weekly church services—as it would be in Christian services worldwide—but where steelbands and steelpan music fit within the worship service structure differs and fluctuates throughout Caribbean churches.

In surveying a diverse selection of church steelband leaders and players, the most common place steelbands perform in church services is during the Offering. This reflective element of the church service is a logical space for special music as worship leaders are occupied preparing the rituals of Eucharist/Meal while ushers pass around collection baskets. Congregations often focus their attention somewhere beyond the pew-by-pew progression of the collection baskets during this time and, depending on attendance and church size, the moment is of a flexible duration from week to week allowing steelbands adequate space for performance and meditation. It is low risk space for steelbands to perform, but a necessary three-to-five-minute window of time to fill in the structure of the worship service. With ritual activities reserved for monetary collection and no scripture readings associated, the Offering allows steelbands more choices for tune and genre selection. “It’s our space to shine,” notes Kareem “T.J.” King who directed several church steelbands in Antigua for years, “it’s the place church steelbands here [in Antigua] perform the most often.”

In addition to the Offering, where else do Caribbean steelbands and steelpan players perform during worship service? The short answer is everywhere. In fact, church steelbands in the greater Caribbean commonly perform during the prelude, postlude, offering, and special music during the service. However, in addition to these contributions a single tenor steelpan can also act as a cantor throughout the service, leading the melodies of recitations and prayers. In this symbolic gesture, the “voice” of the church is the voice of the steelpan. Members of many Caribbean steelbands in places such as Antigua, Jamaica, and St. Kitts, for example, regularly perform with school and legacy steelbands found in their respective islands, thus creating an intertwined web of social entanglement fostered by the instrument. Although many members of church steelbands in the Caribbean are youths, there is a great deal of intergenerational mixing as the leadership structure of the church steelband continues to evolve. In short, musicians considering integrating steelbands or steelpan into their own worship services should consider any and all sections of the service as available for experimentation.