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WHEREAS, The steelpan is a modern instrument, tracing its history back to the youth of Trinidad and Guyana in the early 20th Century as a way to hone their musical skills; and
WHEREAS, The first steelpans were made from discarded barrels by native children too poor to purchase orchestral instruments imported from England; and
WHEREAS, as a young man growing up in Guyana, Phil Solomon taught himself to play the steelpan on his own handmade pan; and
WHEREAS, at age 23, Phil Solomon led an orchestra of steelpan players to win a prestigious music festival in Trinidad with his arrangement of Brahm's famous piece, Hungarian Dance #5; and
WHEREAS, Phil Solomon emigrated to the United States in 1984, and because of the availability of steel barrels, settled in the Pittsburgh area; and
WHEREAS, Phil Solomon rooted himself in the Beechview neighborhood, hammering out steelpans in his basement just steps from the T, and raised four talented daughters; and
WHEREAS, Phil Solomon worked with the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association to develop a program to introduce steelpans into schools, and helped found steelpan bands at Keystone Oaks, Ambridge, Chartiers Valley, and Carrick High Schools; and
WHEREAS, Phil Solomon formed a band, Steel Impressions, to help spread the gospel of steelpan far and wide; and
WHEREAS, He is internationally recognized as the world's best steel pan maker, having established the standard chemical composition of steelpans used worldwide; and
WHEREAS, Phil Solomon remains dedicated to the expansion of steelpan in the Pittsburgh region, through educating a new generation of steelpan enthusiasts and the promotion of Pittsburgh as the Steelpan capital of the world; and
WHEREAS, The smile on Phil Solomon's face while playing his instrument is only eclipsed by the smile he has when teaching his craft; and
WHEREAS, Phil Solomon finds true joy in the versatility of his steelpans, and the ability to make everything from classical music to top 40 hits sound spectacular on his instruments.
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THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh commends Phil Solomon for his tireless work as the Steelpan Ambassador to the World; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Tuesday, June 26, 2012 to be Phil Solomon Day in the City of Pittsburgh.