Gavin Francis was born in 1989 and was first exposed to the pan at the Le Chateau D’or Music Academy in 2001 at the tender age of 11. Although his instrument of first choice was the tenor pan, he also took a liking to the bass a little later.

On invitation by Victor “Babu” Samuel, Gavin competed with the PanBazadoz in the Antigua National Panorama competition in 2002 and with the Antigua Grammar School Independence junior panorama.

In the summer of 2002, Gavin joined the National Youth Pan Orchestra (NYPO). He later toured the sister isle of Barbuda with Le Chateau D’or for a Christmas concert.

Gavin also traveled with the NYPO towards the end of December 2002 into January 2003 to St. Croix for their annual Three Kings Day festivities.

2003 proved to be a busy year for Gavin as he was elected captain of Le Chateau D’or and began to assume the responsibilities of Co-arranger with the same group.

For Antigua’s panorama 2003 he played with Supa Stars and PanBazadoz and later in August of that year traveled with the NYPO to represent Antigua at Carifesta in Suriname.

In December 2003, Gavin was part of Antigua’s representative NYPO for the inaugural Caripan Junior Pan Festival in Antigua with the host country copping second place.

His introduction to solo performances began with the NYPO in May 2003 where often rendered the National Anthem to open events and shortly afterwards he began to concentrate more seriously on his improvising skills. .

Gavin went on to do in 2004 what most persons never even dreamt of doing: playing for three bands for panorama – Supa Stars/ Halcyon & Gemonites!

Gavin is presently 15 years old and a prefect and fifth form student of the Antigua Grammar School. He is taking his grade III theory exams this year (2002) and has his eyes set on becoming an established professional arranger/composer/soloist.

He mentions being motivated by Victor “Babu” Samuel and Patrick “Stone” Johnson and aspires to be as good as or better than the renown Trinidadian pannist extraordinaire Len “Boogsie” Sharp.

And…. who are you or I to ever doubt that this amazing upcoming young pannist GAVIN MARLON COLIN FRANCIS can fulfill all his musical ambitions?