Arranger, Composer, Ethnomusicologist
Born to a solid middle-class family in one of Port of Spain's quieter suburbs, Pat (christened Patricia) Bishop's early youth hinted nothing of the grand passion the steel pan and steel pan people would become in her life.
Miss Bishop attended Bishop Ansteys High School where she won an Island Scholarship at the age of seventeen. At eighteen, she left Trinidad for Kings College of Durham University, England. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Fine Arts. While in England, Pat Bishop also arranged for private tuition in music. Her musical studies included voice, piano and orchestration, with special emphasis on medieval and 20th century music.
She has written two full-length folk operas, Dalinda and the Swamp and Voice and Steel, a mass for voice, oboe and drums, as well as a variety of choral work pieces based on folk material. Miss Bishop was one of the main instigators of the Schools Steelband Music Festival and has been chief judge and resource person since its inception in 1981.
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Miss Bishop's first involvement with the steel pan started when she sang carols to the accompaniment of Tripoli Steel Orchestra in a presentation called Classics On Steel produced by Reverend John Sewell. This took place at the Trinity Cathedral in downtown Port of Spain. In the world of pan music, Pat Bishop has been associated as arranger and/or conductor with Birdsong, Pandemonium, Phase II Pan Groove, Fonclaire, Skiffle Bunch, The Samaroo Jets, Trinidad All Stars and Desperadoes. She has arranged several test pieces for pan and has also toured extensively with steelbands, as arranger and conductor. She has travelled seven times with Desperadoes and has conducted two of their performances at Carnegie Hall, one with the New York Pop Orchestra. She has also conducted concerts on the steps of City Hall, New York; the Apollo Theatre and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Miss Bishop has been business executive, musician, painter, media commentator, ethnomusicologist, historian, choreographer, fashion designer and resource person for any panman wishing to tap her extraordinary talents. |
Pure gold, The Doyenne of the Steelbands Pat Bishop comfortably at home in the rigging of Skiffle Bunch; engulfed and intent on the sound of a late January 1998 practice session.  © 1998 Skiffle Bunch by Tony Howell |
In 1986, Pat Bishop received Trinidad and Tobago's Hummingbird medal Gold for her contribution to the Creative Arts. She says of herself, "I haven't a conviction in the world. I'm short on faith, low on dreams, heavy on expediency and quite committed to work".
Patricia Bishop was awarded the Trinidad Cross in 1995.
[Presented without permission; permission being sought.]
