The Team

Diana Hancox

Director

Diana came to the pan world via her teaching when she was an English Second Language teacher and Multicultural Co-ordinator at Coten End School in th 1990s. Inspired after borrowing a set of pans to support a project on St Lucia, Diana worked to buy pans for her school and create 4 successful young bands. Steel Pans took over her head and indeed her life and her subsequent job as Head of World Music at Warwickshire’s County Music Service from January 2000 to March 2007 gave her the opportunity to fulfill some of her visions and ambitions to develop steel pan teaching and learning in Warwickshire. She successfully developed a strong team of quality teachers in a growing number of schools, set up music centre pan groups for junior, youth and adults in all areas of the county and ran 3 very successful steel pan festivals.

In 2006 Diana was already being invited to be involved in many pan projects nationally and decided is was time to establish and develop the Steel Pan Academy. In March 2007 Diana left the service to work full time for the Academy and to work to increase access and opportunity to quality steel pan playing, teaching and learning in the Midlands and beyond, working also with pan friends and colleagues to raise the status of pan to that of other instruments. She has been regularly published, has taken a lead in trying to establish a nationally recognised accreditation system for steel pan and is currently being funded to do some research to further this project.

Diana loves teaching pan with a passion and is also a a complete believer that working as a team achieves the best results. Steel Pan Academy has an exceptionally strong team who not only work well as a team together but also with other organisations and in particularly with Phase One Steel Orchestra and T&T Pan workshop.

Lisa Russell

Assistant Director

Lisa was taught by Victor Phillip at her secondary school in Coventry and was asked to join Phase One Steel Band in 1990. During her time with Phase One Lisa has performed at many events all over the Uk and abroad.

Lisa started teaching in Coventry Schools in 2000 and both her teaching and her reputation have grown. While still teaching at Coventry Lisa also taught as part of Diana’s team at Warwickshire Music Service in the Northern area.

Sharing the same vision as the other Academy team, Lisa joined the Steel Pan Academy in April 2007, and like the rest of the team is dedicated to raising the status and quality of steel pan playing and learning.

Beverly Wickham (Phillip)

Assistant Director

Bev has been playing steel pans since childhood, and born of Trinidadian parents it was a natural progression that she would join her father’s (Victor Phillip) Phase One Steel Band based in Coventry. Beverly joined Phase One in 1979 and has performed at many event in may countries.

In 2000 Bev joined Diana’s team at Warwickshire Music service where she taught full time in many of Warwickshire schools and established youth pan groups of great reputation. In September 2006 Bev was asked to teach with the Birmingham Music service team, and hs enjoyed the contrast of different children from different social and economic backgrounds.

Bev continues to work a couple of days a week for Birmingham and this summer has joined the Steel Pan Academy Team. “Although I enjoyed my time with Warwickshire, I felt it was time to move on. With the Academy I am working with a strong established team, and can focus on more than just teaching. The Academy will give me the opportunity to promote pan to a wider audience nationally. The Academy is already involved with many projects, working with organisations nationally and internationally and this is something that is close to my heart. Everyone in the Steel Pan Academy has experience working together and we all share the same passion, the same vision and the same goals.”

Hattie Hall

Website content Manager and graphic designer.

Hattie is 15 years old and currently a pupil at Bilton School in Rugby. She started playing pan when she was 9 years old, and was taught at school by Bev Wickham. At the age of 11 she became the youngest member of the County Youth Steel Pan Orchestra and is now a member of Phase One Steel Band. Hattie also plays the drums in a jazz band, flute, electric guitar and is currently teaching herself the ukulele. She has a flair for design, and took a GCSE in textiles at the age of 13, which she passed with an A grade. Hattie's other interests include; mountain biking, fishing and cookery.