The Pearl City High School Band sets itself apart from the amateur pep band stereotype by setting a high performance standard and consistantly achieving it. Head band director Chadwick Kamei takes a community-oriented approach to music education. By inviting some of the finest musicians and conductors in the State of Hawaii to perform with and direct the band, Kamei proves students with the opportunity to fine-tune their ears , thus enabling them to raise the bar of excellence.
Guest performers include Royal Hawaiian Band saxophonists Todd Yukumoto and Tim Tsukiyama, National Guard Band bassoonist Chris Venture, freelance percussionist Abraham Lagrimas and bassist Todd Smith. In order to further develop students' cohesiveness as an ensemble, Kamei enlisted the baton skills of Hawaii Youth Symphony I Conductor Henry Miyamura (scheduled for later this semester), newly appointed University of Hawaii Music Director Brandt Payne, former UH Marching Band Director Thomas Bingham, and University of Las Vegas Music Professor of Conductiong Tom Leslie.
In July, the Charger Marching Band is scheduled to represent the United States in the Olympic World Youth Festival Parade in Beijing, China. Since announcing the Charger Marching Band's decision to appear in the China-hosted Olympic festivals last October, band members and their parents led several fundraisers to help sponsor the costly trip to the People's Republic of China.
With admiration and pride, we are happy to recognize the Pearl City High School Band students maintaining the 16th District's record for excellence in musical performance and dedication to the performing arts.
-As reported by session staffer, B.M. Higa-