San Bernardino Public Library Prepares to Get Musical

As part of the Summer Reading Game theme, Read to the Rhythm, the San Bernardino Public Library will host Joseph Peck and his music of the Caribbean. Peck will provide a general overview of the steelpan (steel drum) and its origin. He will perform on the steel drum and then attendees will have the opportunity to play a percussion instrument in a drum circle. This all-ages free workshop will take place on Saturday, June 27 at 3 p.m. in the Kellogg Rooms at the Feldheym Central Library at 555 W. 6th Street in San Bernardino. The Steel Drum, or “Pan," is a unique instrument and one of the most recently invented instruments in the world. The drums were developed on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad during the early years of the 20th century. Peck is musician, educator, and producer of music and educational programs featuring the steel drum instrument, also known as steelpans, or simply pans. In 1996, Peck traveled to Trinidad, West Indies, the birthplace of the steelpans, and performed with Potential Symphony (a 120-member steel drum band) for the Panorama National Steel Band Competition. Peck went on to direct the Steel Pan Orchestra and teach world music at Wichita State University. As an accredited artist with the Missouri Arts Council, Peck has conducted numerous performances and educational workshops. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2002, Peck has performed and/or recorded with artists such as Afinke Machine, Babylon Saints, Scott Weiland, Cyndi Lauper, Ryan Gosling, and Didi Benami (of American Idol) to name a few. In 2012 Peck released his first solo album, titled “Free-flow Steelpan Meditations, Volume 1”, exploring the sonic possibilities of the steel drum. Participants in the library’s summer reading game will get credit for coming to the program. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the San Bernardino Public Library. For more information on this event call Linda Yeh at 909-381-8238 or visit www.sbpl.org