VANESSA   HEADLEY DATE OF BIRTH: ......, 1988 PLACE OF BIRTH: ..., Trinidad EDUCATION: St Joseph's Convent, San Fernando St Stephen's College, Princes Town University of the West Indies (BA, Music Arts, 2010) Attended Berklee College of Music, Massachusetts, USA (2011) Sheffield University, United Kingdom (MA, Music Psychology) STEELBANDS: Golden Hands Steel Orchestra Phase II Pan Groove Steel Xplosion (2023) SPECIALTIES: Player Arranger CAREER:                                        Headley was introduced to the steelpan in 1993 by her mother, musicologist Franka Hills-Headley, a former school teacher and founder of the Golden Hands Steel Orchestra and Music School, where Vanessa would later become its vice-president and artistic director. Headley began arranging for Golden Hands at the age of 14 and has won the steelpan soloist competition at the Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival on many occasions. She has performed at the Naparima Bowl, San Fernando, Queen's Hall, Port of Spain, and other concert venues around the world. She was also part of the Golden Hands Champion Ensemble that won several titles, including the President's Award and the Prime Minister's Award for Most Outstanding Instrumental Performance at the music festival. In 2010, she composed her own Panorama song, "Pan In the Galaxy," and, in 2023, made history when she become the first Trinidadian woman to arrange for a Tobago steelband by playing Aaron St Louis' "Out and Bad." Her other compositions include "Music Matters." Headley is a lecturer at the the University of Trinidad & Tobago and hosts the local radio show Steelpan City on WACK 90.1 FM. AWARD: 2017 - National Youth Award (in the sphere of Arts and Culture) Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit