Name: James Smith

Description:

James Smith is a musician specializing in steelpan drumming. He has played music since 1971 and has lead presentations and workshops on the steel pan instrument in several schools. He has performed at folklore festivals as part of the West Indian Canadian Association, and was the Musical Director of the Brockville Steel Lions Orchestra. He actively offers workshops and presentations at different events around Kingston including the Kingston Multicultural Arts Festival and Black Awareness Week.

In his workshops, James includes the history of the steel pan and its roots in Trinidad, musical theory and skills such as strumming and rolling, performing and looking after the instruments. He has given presentations at Winston Churchill, Lundy's Lane and Centennial Public School. James has extensive experience in the school system as a math and science teacher, and believes in the power of musical education to help students encountering difficulty in the classroom.

James prefers to work with elementary, middle school and high school students and special needs communities.