Strike up the Band!
Hawai‘ i County Band Entertains By Karen Rose
A great band
makes music sound effortless—a cacophony of notes drifting through air like oxygen. Elements of music such as pitch, tempo, texture, and volume, when analyzed individually hold great importance, yet when married together, create an inspiring force that moves the human spirit and stirs the emotions. It takes every member of a band to create and form something unique and magical. Band members at 2013 Honokaÿa Western Days. photo courtesy of Hawaiÿi County Band For more than 130 years, the Hawai‘i County Band continues to create and perform their enchanting works There are two arms of the Hawai‘i County Band, the eastern of music when they come together throughout east and side unit in Hilo, directed by Paul Arceo, and the western side west Hawai‘i. The group entertains Hawai‘i Island residents unit in Kona, directed by Bernaldo Evangelista. Performing throughout the year with music for special community events musical genres from jazzy Broadway tunes to classical music, and public concerts. the band is a special part of Hawai‘i Island’s cultural heritage West Hawai‘i County Band member and French horn player, and a valued part of the community. Peter Anderegg, talks about how the Hawai‘i County Band “Our band started several decades after the Royal Hawaiian became a part of the government, inspired by the Royal Band, so when statehood came about, the band was already Hawaiian Band on O‘ahu. in place. Fortunately, someone had the political know-how to “It started on Honolulu in 1836 with the Royal Hawaiian have the band be a part of the county,” said Peter. “The Royal Band. In 1871, Henry Berger came to Honolulu ‘on loan’ from Hawaiian Band started this tradition of the band being part of the government, which is really interesting. It got started on the Hilo side with two Portuguese immigrants who brought their culture with them and started a band.” The Hawai‘i County Band was founded in 1883 by brothers West Hawaiÿi County Band members at Hale Halawai 2013. photo courtesy of Hawaiÿi County Band Joaquin and Jules Carvalho, the Prussian government to direct the Royal Hawaiian Band immigrants from the Azores Islands of Portugal who moved to created by King Kamehameha III,” said Peter. “This started the Hilo and hung up their barbershop shingle. On days when the tradition of bands on our islands.” band performed together, the brothers traded in their straight Today, the Hawai‘i County Band is one of the oldest razors and creams for sheet music and set out to entertain professional music ensembles in the state, second only to the their east side audience. When the concert was over they Royal Hawaiian Band. would re-open the barbershop and get back to work.