Pannist in the Spotlight
Written by Angel Bice Pannist in the Spotlight : Joe Galvin Pan is alive and well, and still inspiring young professionals with dreams to help evolve the art form. Meet one of these professionals: Mr. Joe Galvin. Joe's endless energy and enthusiasm for his craft was evident throughout my conversation with him. Although he started his musical career as a pianist, his first exposure to Pan was during 2000 when he participated in a steel band started by his teacher Pat Hernly. Joe's love for music, and trying new things transferred instantaneously to pan. "How can I play the material I love, and do it on Pan?" he asked himself. Then, he set out to answer his own question. Joe attended and can still be found at Indiana University where he achieves great things. He studies music of all cultures. He started arranging pieces for culturally diverse instruments. He even arranged a Spanish Guitar piece for pan! His in depth work with all of this music, assisted him in creating, along with his professors, an Ethnomusicology Degree that other students can now emulate - quite a feat for a young professional in his 20's! He is also well on his way to having his own publishing company. Joe's arrangements have matured with his experience, and he now desires the rich full harmonies that the low pans represent. The quest to fulfill this desire eventually led him a tour of Panyard Inc in Akron Ohio, where he immediately fell in love with their Solid Hoop Cello and Bass Pans. Perhaps an indication of how big an impression these pans made on him is the fact that he privately purchased them in order to pursue his goals at the University and on a community level! If you walked by Joe's classroom, you would hear sounds emulating cultures from all over the world. His students realize through their experience with him that Pan is not just about the Banana Boat Song. Joe encourages his students and peers to explore all the possibilities of Pan. "Don't hold back. Showcase your talent, and push the limits to continually evolve on pan." He believes that experimenting with "old and new" is the only way to progress - a good case in point being how pan was able to go from Carnival Street Music to being a very present entity in Jazz, Rock and Pop music. When Joe is not busy with his arranging, teaching and performing, he likes to study world religion, and compare them. He also likes to spend time with his family who are very supportive of his career aspirations. This is a panist who is going places, and we are going to hear more from!