LIHU‘E — “This is a dream come true,” said Liz Hahn as parents and students representing seven of Kaua‘i’s middle and high schools got together to discuss aspects of the 2005 All-Kaua‘i Rose Bowl marching band.
Larry McIntosh, the band director for the nationally acclaimed Kaua‘i High School Band, was recently invited to put together a contingent of Kaua‘i music students to participate in the 2005 Rose Bowl Parade which precedes the Jan. 1 game in Pasadena, Calif.
Carol Kimura, whose sons were part of the All-Hawai‘i Rose Bowl marching band that participated in the nationally televised New Year’s Day event, said she encourages all students who have an opportunity to participate to try and make it.
Kimura has stepped up to head a committee of band parents and volunteers who have a “community consciousness” and are working with McIntosh to make this rapidly approaching trip a reality.
Kimura said the goal is to have at least 250 students representing the Kaua‘i schools make up the group. To date, Kimura said they are still accepting applications from interested students, but the cutoff is approaching rapidly as final arrangements cannot be firmed up without any kind of definite numbers.
She raised a packet which she said contained more applications, as the current number of committed students tops the 200 mark.
Hahn said Kaua‘i was selected to be one of only 20 bands that can participate out of a field of 97 bands that applied to be a part of the 2005 Rose Bowl.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Kimura added.
Another parent added that there is a three-year waiting list of bands wanting to perform, and Kaua‘i is really lucky to have been invited to go next year.
Kimura said plans are underway for fund-raising to get the 250 students to California. First on the itinerary is a “Run for the Roses” event scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at Vidinha Stadium.
Students are asked to solicit pledges for an hour’s walk or run to see how many laps they are able to do on that date.
Additionally, Kimura said the committee of 13 volunteers is working towards hosting a concert later in the year, featuring local entertainment.
In addition to the band members, who will form the central core of the All-Kaua‘i contingent, cadets from both the Waimea and Kapa‘a JROTC units will form a corps of Hawaiian warriors that will march as part of the Polynesian unit that will also feature hula dancers, Kimura explained.
The trip centers around the Rose Bowl Parade, but from previous experience, the band has performed as part of Disneyland’s Main Street Parade, and made other appearances while in California.
Hahn added that a holding page is in place, but will be replaced by a Web site for those who want to help students represent Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i in this very prestigious event.
That Web site will be www.allkauaiband.com, and it will have an e-mail link so people who want to contribute online can do so. However, Hahn, who is currently recovering from a bout with the flu bug, said people will just have to keep trying until she gets the page up and going.
One parent noted that not only is it prestigious for Kaua‘i to have been invited to participate, it’s also important for the students to perform well once they get there because if they don’t, it’ll be a long, long time before a Kaua‘i band gets another chance.
Practices are under the supervision of McIntosh and Kamehameha Schools’ Director of Bands John Riggle, who headed up the last All-Hawai‘i band invited to the Rose Bowl.
For more information, or to contribute to the efforts of the 2005 All-Kaua‘i Rose Bowl marching band, people may contact Kimura at 332-7010.
Sports Editor Dennis Fujimoto may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or mailto:dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
