Steel Pan Reimagined
Seventy-five years since the sound of the steel pan arrived in the UK, a suite of new commissions celebrates its heritage and horizons for Steel Scenes.
As part of the 1951 Festival of Britain, The Trinidad All-Steel Pan Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) performed in the UK for the first time – forever changing the DNA of British music.
Since then, the steel pan instrument has been a symbol of innovation and community-powered creativity. As part of Steel Scenes, Steel Pan Reimagined dives into the musical legacy of steel pan music and cements its central place within the global pantheon of genre-defying music.
Working with a fusion of different disciplines, from classical to jazz, the show illuminates the true dynamism of the form and cements steel pan music’s place in the centre of the modern, genre-defying musical landscape.
The evening features world premieres and new works. Composers include Nabihah Iqbal, Delphina James, Soweto Kinch and Marlon The Pannist, with more acts still to be announced.
Need to know
Box package
You can buy an exclusive box package for this event. More details of our Royal Festival Hall exclusive box package.
Musician and DJ Nabihah Iqbal’s inter-disciplinary approach has taken her everywhere, from Boiler Room raves to the Turner Prize. What Psyche Felt, Iqbal’s first classical commission, had its London premiere at the Southbank Centre in 2025.
Soweto Kinch is a versatile musician in both the British jazz and hip-hop scenes. The musician and University of Oxford alum has amassed an impressive list of accolades and awards – including a Mercury Music Prize nomination, two UMA Awards and two MOBO Awards for Best Jazz Act.
Founder and manager of Endurance Steel Orchestra, Marlon Hibbert is a leading voice in contemporary steel pan performance and the first person to graduate from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama playing the steel pan. Influenced by his Caribbean heritage, Hibbert’s blend of jazz, calypso and modern fusion explores his ancestry as a Black British musician.
Delphina James is a steel pan musician, educator and musical director. James’ music bridges Caribbean tradition and global innovation – she’s collaborated with Kraftwerk, performed at the BBC Proms and Notting Hill Carnival and has led orchestras to championship victories in Trinidad and Tobago. James is also an active force at the heart of the pan community, having been a director for various London-based groups.
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
25 Jul 2026
Run time
1 hour and 30 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
from £20 + £4 booking fee
Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
Concessions
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Refunds and exchanges
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For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.