Wind On Steel
Wind on Steel
About
Denis Gonzalez
Denis (pronounced Deni) was born on the island of Trinidad and has travelled and performed throughout the Caribbean, South America, London, Europe and Australia.
He has performed at the S.C.G. and the M.C.G., the Olympic Stadium and at the Opera House for New Years Eve 2000.
In 2003 he won the Rhythm of the World International Song Competition in Taiwan with DHARMA, and in Australia with VOW TO BE in 2004.
Denis has produced and recorded many albums – "Back from the Dead", "Kyogle Blue", "Mariposa", "Paradise", " Rising", "Maybe Now". "Caribbean Joyride", "Wind on Steel", "Changes", "Misty River", "Pan Jam Party", "Giant Step", "Gone Fishing", "Blast off", “Latin Soca Fever” (with daughter Yasoda) and “Reggie and Pamela” – a soca musical set in Trinidad. He also has 8 singles "African Fruitcake", "Australia 88", "Oh Vladimir" "The Shuttle", "So Easy", "Bhakti Meditations", "No War, No War" and " Mother Earth" and has also produced a poetry and drumming album entitled "The Last Arawak" depicting an historical and contemporary view of the Caribbean Leeward Islands and Jamaica.
While in London he was an integral part of the Mangrove Steel Band - Panorama Winners 1980 at the Notting Hill Carnival.
Denis taught steel pans at the University of Western Sydney 1997-2001, setting up the Nepean Allstars Steel Band.
Co-founding the NSW Schools Steel Band Association in 2000 with Heather Caister, he taught and set up children’s steel bands in NSW Schools until 2016.
He is now living in the Northern Rivers region of NSW where he continues to write and perform with Wind on Steel, recording new music at Monte Vista Music Studios in the Australian bush.
Awards
2003 /2004
Fo Guan Shan's Master Hsing Yun's awards for : (1)Excellence (2) Most original artist (3) Best performance.
Winner of the Rhythm of the World International Song Competition in 2003 at the Recital Hall, Angel Place Sydney Australia , and winner of the finals at the Xian Kai Xiek Memorial Hall in Taipei Taiwan, singing his composition of Master Hsing Yun’s words and playing a C tenor pan with Heather Caister on flute and Andrew Gatus also on a C tenor.
19th August 2006
From CARIBOZ, the Caribbean Association based in Sydney Australia,
For the education and preservation of Caribbean Culture through the teaching of music with Steelpans.
7th November 2014
From Celebration of African Australians Inc. NSW, at Parliament House Sydney - Outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry and music education achievement award. Seen in the picture with other award recipients Doug Williams and Errol Renaud for outstanding contributions to the Entertainment Industry, with founder of Celebrate African Australians, Patricia Attard Daniels.
VOW TO BE. Wind on Steel, winners in the Australian finals, performing at the Rhythm of the World Competition 2004 at the Chiang Kai Chek Memorial Hall, in Taipei Taiwan. Words by Master Hsing Yun, music by Denis Gonzalez. Wind on Steel were the international winners of this competition in 2003 with "Dharma" at the same venue.
International Conference on Pan
In August 2015, Denis and Heather were invited to give a presentation on Steel Pan Teaching in Australia by Pan Trinbago at the inaugural International Conference on Pan, held at the Hyatt Hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad. They also attended the first International Panorama as V.V.I.P.s at the Queens Park Savannah
Heather Caister
Heather was born in England and developed an interest in the steel pan instrument while a student in London. She is a qualified woodwind and piano teacher, and tutored privately and in schools for many years.
After co-founding the NSW Schools Steel Band Association in 2000, she taught and set up steel bands with Denis in various primary schools around NSW. Heather also tutored the different sections of the steel band (tenors, double seconds, guitars and bass)
She performed at the Rhythm of the World competition with Denis in Taiwan in 2003 and 2004.
She was also a member of the Endeavour Chamber Orchestra playing viola for several years, performing around Sutherland Shire.
Now living in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, Heather continues performing as part of "Wind on Steel", recording and pursuing her interest in wind instruments - in particular the panflutes and quenas of Bolivia and Peru.
She also plays alto and tenor saxophone.
Winteel
Wind on Steel are a dynamic duo featuring Denis Gonzalez and Heather Caister - both multi-instrumentalists. Their repertoire includes a wide range of musical styles and Caribbean rhythms including latin, reggae, soca and pop.
A definite treat for dancing feet.
