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KAYDON Fraser loves soca music. He also loves playing its sweet melodies on Trinidad and Tobago’s national instrument, the steelpan. The 11-year-old budding musician loves spreading joy to others through sound.
Kaydon lives in the borough of Siparia and is a standard four student at the Siparia Road KPA Primary School.
He said he enjoys playing videogames like Roblox with his friends, as well as sports like football. He told Newsday Kids he follows French football club PSG.
But when he’s not occupied with those hobbies, you can find him behind a steelpan.
His first encounter with the instrument was in 2022 when the Siparia Deltones hosted an outreach programme at his school.
“Classes were held on Fridays from 2-3pm,” he recalled.
But the classes were not mandatory. So why did he decide to try it out?
“I was inspired by my uncle (Kyle Beharry), who is a musician. He plays the steelpan, guitar and trumpet with the Defence Force band.”
The first steelpan he played was the double guitar, which he said he “just saw and chose it one time.”
He learnt to play the kids' nursery rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb.
“It was fun,” he said with a smile.
He later asked his mother, Kemisha Beharry, to officially join the band because he fell in love with the instrument.
Interestingly, he tried a few different ones before he settled on the tenor.
“I tried cello but it was a little too hard for me because it had plenty notes and it was three pans, then I moved to the guitar and now I am on the tenor.”
Asked if he would ever try another kind such as the bass, he said yes.
“I like the tenor because I can play the actual (melodies of) the song.”
He performed with its Junior Panorama band in 2024 and 2025, playing Engine Room by Olatunji (Olatunji Yearwood) and Energy Killers by Kerwin Du Bois.
Performing in front such a large audience for the first time was simply “nice” for Kaydon.
“I wasn’t scared because I had other people there with me performing. I danced on stage, too.”
In addition to the theory learnt through the band, he also enjoys playing by ear.
“I would listen to songs and then just go and practise playing them on the pan.”
Sometimes he may practise for over an hour, he admitted.
On his own, he has learnt songs like the national anthem, Trini 2 De Bone by David Rudder, Bet Meh by Machel Montano, Cocoa Tea by Kes and more. He said he is also currently learning Jamtown by Coutain and hopes to learn Retro by Voice.
“I love soca!”
He added that his favourite steelpan player is Joshua Regrello.
Kaydon now has his own steelpan thanks to his grandfather, whom he fondly calls "Papa."
He has recently performed at his school’s 70th anniversary programme, Pennacool.com and Republic Banks VCCE Arts and Culture Show at Queen’s Hall, the Naachate Sitaare Dance Theatre Awards and talent ceremony, among others.
He said he was a bit nervous for the show at Queen’s Hall because this time, it was a solo performance.
“I was surprised when I came on stage and saw how many people were in the crowd.”
But once he finished playing and heard the loud applause, “I felt good. I felt proud.”
He hopes to go to Iere High School and is interested in becoming a lawyer.
 
The post Kaydon’s love for steelpan, soca appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.