Vivaldi’s Four Seasons from a 44-gallon drum – impossible, surely. Well, not for The Panimals; Bream Bay College’s very own steel pan band.

The group of students made history last weekend as the first steel band to perform in a secondary schools chamber music competition. Year 11 student Gabriella Uphof, who plays the tenor pan – “the lead and vocal melody” – spoke to Three to Seven’s Bryan Crump, and conceded the instrument was a little difficult to describe.

“It’s an oil drum and part of it has been cut out…(and there are) little circles throughout the inside of the pan.”

The circles decrease in size towards the centre of the pan. From there, she says, it’s just a case of hitting the circles with the rubber-topped metal drum sticks. 

“They’re quite the masterpiece.”

Gabriella says the “full-strength” Panimals – a seven-piece band – can often be found practicing in the school’s old dental clinic, which has been turned into the pan room. Their repertoire ranges from classical music to more popular music, such as ABBA and System of A Down. 

Despite not making it to nationals with their adaptation of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Gabriella says the band is already eyeing up future competitions.

“We might try again next year … with The Nutcracker.”

The Panimals are, from left, Irie Garland (seconds), Kaiser Jacoby (bass), Gabriella Uphof (tenor pan), Adara Lunjevich (cello pans) and Harlyn Abraham (tenor pan). Absent in this photo: Levi Williams (drums) and Larissa Tanuvasa (seconds).
Photo: RNZ / Peter de Graaf