Trinidad and Tobago Baltimore Steel Orchestra

The Trinidad and Tobago Baltimore Steel
Orchestra was formed in 1971 by a few Trinidadians who resided in Baltimore,
Maryland. Richard Semper and Paul Gervais are the
co-founders of the orchestra and still perform with the orchestra today.  The group now has musicians performing in it
representing three generations of the Semper family.   2019
marks this fantastic group’s 48th Anniversary.



During their amazing 48-year ride, the band has
performed in over 6,000 concerts throughout the mid-Atlantic region and Europe,
entertaining over a quarter of a million happy listeners. The group has
generously offered its services to countless charitable fund-raising affairs. In
1978, the Trinidad and Tobago Baltimore Steel Orchestra toured Europe as
Goodwill Ambassadors for the city of Baltimore and for Trinidad and Tobago's
High Commissioner in England. The orchestra received honorary citizenship to
the city of Annapolis, received the keys to Ocean City, Maryland by the admired
mayor of Ocean City, Harry Kelley, and entertained audiences at the 1979 and
1983 World Series in Baltimore. The group has also played at the Kennedy Center
in Washington, D.C. for former President Carter. One of their proudest
accomplishments is having been named as the "Official steel Orchestra of
the city of Baltimore" by its late and great mayor and former governor of
Maryland, William Donald Schaefer. The band continues to grow as an organization
with strong community support and dedication.



Beginning in 1999, The Trinidad and Tobago
Baltimore Steel Orchestra has taken part in a project called "Pan in the
Community," a program designed to reach the art of playing the steel drums
to kids in after school projects, summer camps, public schools, and PAL
projects produced by Baltimore City.