Metro Steel Orchestra helps Flatbush youth stay off the streets

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11)—The Metro Steel Orchestra in Flatbush is getting ready to participate in the West Indian American Day Parade.

The band is mostly made up of kids and teenagers, who, aside from learning to play the steelpan, get support and mentorship.

Anthony “Big Tony” Joseph, the band’s CEO, says that when he joined the orchestra at a young age, he saw the need to include the youth.

“We have to be realistic; there are gangs, but when they close the door, we may have three different gangs here, but no one knows, and when they leave, they realize, wait a minute, we fight for the wrong reasons, so we call it the safe home, the safe heaven.”

Metro Steel Orchestra rehearses often, and while it doesn’t get funded, one thing the group is never short on is the community pitching in.

“Most of the kids is third generation, their parents’ parents started with me, they aged. Their parents had their kids, now their children are here so I’ve seen three generations”

Metro Steel Orchestra was founded in 1972 and has 125 members, at least 50 of whom are children and teenagers. The rehearsal arena is where they get to explore their creative musical side while getting the guidance and support they need to be off the streets.

“We teach them a lot of different things, how to tie a tie, how to go to interview,” adding” “we found out by them being in the band and practicing their schoolwork got much better.”
Many of the orchestra’s former members have gone on to become lawyers, doctors, and even professors at top music schools like Berklee College of Music.

“People understand that this is more than the steel pan, that this is saving lives.”

To join the Metro Steel Band, contact Anthony Joseph at 718-576-5500.

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