Captain of the Holy Faith Convent Penal Steel Orchestra, Amaya Cedeno, says the hard work, late nights, and long hours in the panyard have paid off.
The school won the 2026 National Schools’ Panorama Secondary School category with their rendition of “Live Yuh Life (Like Yuh Playing Mas)” by Kes the Band and David Rudder after earning 274 points.
“We feel amazing. We put in the time and the effort. We were in the panyard every day, maybe from like 10 to 4. Every day, weekends, people made a lot of sacrifices and it paid off.”
The enthusiastic captain said the song was specifically selected because it reflected the band’s vibe and the way in which they view themselves as musicians.
She thanked their arranger, Neil Simon, who once again worked with the band, as well as music teachers and drill master Lydia Seecharan.
This is the second time Holy Faith Convent Penal has tasted victory in the Secondary Schools National Panorama competition. In 2024, the school made history by entering the competition for the very first time and winning with the Neil Simon arrangement of Kes the Band’s hit “Savannah Grass.”