On Sunday, September 23, at 3:00 p.m., St. Aedan’s: The Saint Peter’s University Church will host “Music From Within,” the parish’s centennial celebration featuring performances by professional vocalists and musicians employed at Saint Peter’s University. In a unique development, one of those performers will be a student by the name of Hannah Charles ’14, whose knack for playing the steel pan runs in the family.
“Steel pan is pretty much in my blood,” she said. “My great-uncle is one of the inventors of different drums, and the steel pan is one of them.”
Hannah’s great-uncle is the late Rudolph Charles, a musician and instrument maker of the steel pan. He was an instrumental force in the steel band movement in Trinidad and Tobago, and was the band leader and tuner of the Desperadoes Steel Orchestra from 1961 until his death at age 46 in 1985. Charles invented several instruments for the steel band, like the nine bass, the rocket pans and the twelve bass.
While Hannah never had a chance to meet Rudolph personally, she has heard many stories of him over the years. A player of the steel pan since childhood, Hannah is an avid performer in band competitions. Hannah’s consistently reminded of her musical ancestry from her biggest fan.
“My dad always says, ‘Well, you know you’ve got this in the bag because you’re the heir of Rudolph Charles,’” she laughs. “My dad talks about him a lot, especially when we go back home for Carnival.”
Originally from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hannah came to the States to attend Saint Peter’s University. A recipient of the Ignatian Academic and Magis scholarships, she is majoring in history with a minor in secondary education.
“Ideally, I would like to go back home and teach,” she said. “There’s not a lot of teachers in St. Thomas, and they’re really strained right now.”
Since obtaining a steel pan in April – Hannah’s sister was able to bring one with her from St. Thomas when visiting family in Pennsylvania – Hannah’s performed during several functions at the University. One such event was the Baccalaureate Mass in May, where she played a moving rendition of “Ave Maria” on the steel pan with accompaniment by Salvatore Simone of the general maintenance department on the piano.
Unable to read music notes, Hannah learned to play “Ave Maria” in two days like she does with every melody she performs – by ear.
“When you start playing the steel pan, it’s a lot of note recognition,” she said. “I listened to YouTube videos of people playing ‘Ave Maria’ on the piano and then tried it on the steel pan.”
The method worked, so well in fact that she has been asked to play the steel pan at various events at Saint Peter’s, such as “Music From Within.” Hannah is extremely excited to be able to perform again at the Church, saying, “My steel pan is my life line, my connection to my culture,” she said, “especially in the U.S., where everything is so different. To be able to come out and show people what I do back home – what I grew up doing what I’m passionate about and it’s not your normal instrument here – is great for me.”
Open to the general public, tickets for “Music From Within” are: general admission, $20; senior citizens, $10; Saint Peter’s University students with OneCard, free; other students, $10; and children under 12, free. For further information, contact Eileen L. Poiani, Ph.D., special assistant to the president/professor of mathematics at Saint Peter’s University, at (201) 761-6022.