Rockcreek’s Steel Pan
Artist In Residence Program
Over the past twenty years Rockcreek Steel Drums has brought its steel pan Artist In Residence programs to over 400 schools, hospitals, churches, community centers and festivals. Over 166,000 people have played and performed in the Rockcreek steel Band. Based out of the Annapolis, MD area, we work throughout Maryland and parts of PA, DE, VA and DC .
How A School Residency Works
Our Beginner Steel Pan Artist In Residence visits can last from 3 to 5 days and follows this model.
Planning and Evaluation Meetings
Rockcreek Steel Drums has a phone planning and orientation meeting with the school administration/teachers prior to the residency where we discuss the schedule, residency goals, final performance, workshop space, special needs of students, school policies, and logistics.
Kick off Assembly
The Residency typically begins with a 45 minute steel pan performance with some history of the steel pan of Trinidad and Tobago and the science behind how the instrument is made. (Residency Assemblies are a Duo performance.
Class Workshops and Rehearsals
For the duration of the Artist In Residence program participating classes come for 30 to 60 minute workshops where they develop the skills to perform in a steel band. We learn melodies, conductor signals, scales, how to strum chords, how to read folk charts, and how to create good tone on the instrument while learning a repertoire of songs to be performed at the final concert.
Final Concert
At the final concert, each participating class performs a different song(s) so that we have a full concert between the classes. Students completing the residency will have experienced being in a band, learned how to participate in a musical rehearsal, performed chords and melodies on an instrument……….. and will have played a concert for an audience as a member of a steel band.
Beginner Steel pan School Residency Pricing
…… you can build a custom residency and calculate the exact cost in Maryland (email for out of state travel costs) or you can book residency days (minimum 3 days) for a flat fee of $800 per half day visit (three hour block of time) or $1,200 per full school day visit.
Building a Residency by the parts…..
Orientation/Planning meetings $ 200 (covers all meetings/panning )
Duo Kickoff Assembly (as large an audience as you want) $ 1,100 45 minute assembly steel pan history and performance
Two Back to Back Duo Assemblies $1,500 two 45 minute interactive assemblies
Residency Workshops with classes $ 180 45 minute class workshop (one class at a time)
Final Concert at end of Residency $ 300 up to 45 minute final concert/assembly performed by classes
Instrument Maintenance/Tuning $ 150/day Steel pan tuning and maintenance for workshop instruments
Travel (in Maryland) $125/day for artist travel/instrument transport (lodging if needed)
Travel (outside Maryland email for quote)
Winter 2026 Beginner Steel Pan Residencies
Residency Dates
Jan 22-24 Booked Lakeland Elementary Baltimore City, MD
Feb 2-6 Booked Willards Elem Wicomico, MD
Feb 9 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
Feb 13 Hold Manor Woods Ellicott City, MD
Feb 17-20 Held Hampden Elem Baltimore City, MD
Feb 23 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
Feb 24-27 Booked Gardenville Elem Baltimore City, MD
Mar 2-6 Available
Mar 9 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
Mar 10-13 Booked Fruitland Primary Wicomico, MD
Mar 16 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
Mar 17-20 Booked Berman Hebrew Academy Montgomery, MD
Mar 23-25 Booked Curtis Bay Elem Anne Arundel, MD
Mar 30 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett County, MD
Spring 2026 Beginner Steel Pan Residencies
Residency Dates
April 13 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
Apr 14-16 Booked Delmarva Elem (pre K) Wicomico Co MD
April 20 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
Apr 21-24 Available
Apr 27-May 1 Available
May 4 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
May 11 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
May 18 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
May 19-22 Available
May 26 Booked Crellin Elem Garrett Co, MD
May 27-29 Booked Green School Baltimore City, MD
June 1 Booked Crellin Elem Garret Co, MD
June 1-5 Available
School Year 2026/27 Beginner Steel Pan Residencies
Fall
Oct 12-16 Available
Oct 19-23 Hold Anne Arundel
Nov 2-6 Available
Nov 9-13 Hold Frederick Hold
Nov 20 Dec 4 Available
Dec 7-11 Hold Wicomico Hold
Winter
Jan 19-22 Available
Jan 25-29 Hold Anne Arundel
Feb 1-5 Hold Montgomery County
Feb 22-26 Hold Wicomico Hold
Mar 8-12 Available
Spring
Apr 12-16 Available
Apr 26-30 Available
May 3-7 Available
June 1-4 Hold Balt City Hold
