Bands

Rainbow Warrior Marching Band

Rainbow Warrior Marching Band MUS 419e
When: Fall semester, MWF, 3:45–5:15pm
Where: Music Department Room 108
Director: Dr. Adam Kehl

Central to the pride and pageantry so uniquely associated with college football, since 1923 the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warrior Marching Band has played a pivotal role in UH athletic events and campus life. The only university marching band in the state of Hawai‘i, the UH Marching Band is comprised of over 250 students representing nearly every major on campus. One of the most visible ensembles in the Department of Music and the largest student organization on campus, the UH Marching Band presents pre-game and half-time shows at all UH home football games at Aloha Stadium.

Through rehearsals, student camaraderie, and the excitement of marching in front of thousands of cheering fans, the students of the Rainbow Warrior Marching Band share rich experiences that create social as well as musical bonds that last a lifetime.

The UH Rainbow Warrior Marching Band has been seen and heard on national television supporting the UH Warrior Football team. The band has also played for sell-out crowds in the 50,000 seat Aloha Stadium, our home football venue. Other appearances include the 1989 Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, the 1992 Holiday Bowl in San Diego, the 1999 O‘ahu Bowl, and the 2002 and 2003 Hawai‘i Bowls in Honolulu.

Wind Ensemble

Wind Ensemble MUS 419b
When, Fall: TR, 3:00–5:00pm
When, Spring: MWF, 2:30–4:00pm
Where: Music Department Room 108
Conductor: Dr. Jeffrey Boeckman

The University of Hawai‘i Wind Ensemble is the premier wind band at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Comprised of forty-five of the finest wind and percussion performers at the university, the Wind Ensemble explores cutting-edge repertoire as well as cornerstones of the wind literature in concerts through the entire academic year.

In previous years, the UH Wind Ensemble has toured throughout the continental US and abroad, and performed at such venues as the American Bandmasters Association (ABA) and the Western College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) conferences. Such distinguished guest artists as Rafael Mendez and Doc Severinsen have performed with the UH Wind Ensemble.

Under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Boeckman, the Wind Ensemble has embarked on an ambitious agenda of collaborations & residencies with major performers and composers, recording projects, chamber winds, and performance tours to our neighbor islands, the U.S. mainland, and the Pacific Rim. The Wind Ensemble serve as the host band for our UH Conducting Workshop every May/June.

Symphony Band

Symphony Band MUS 419c
When, Spring: MWF, 4:20–5:30pm
Where: Music Department Room 108
Conductor: Dr. Adam Kehl

The UH Symphony Band consists primarily of undergraduate students from many different majors. The ensemble maintains a full instrumentation for the study and performance of the finest band standards and contemporary literature. The band performs at least two concerts per semester showcasing the high level of musicianship attained by the fifty-five performers comprising this ensemble. Auditions for the Symphony Band are held once prior to the spring semester.

Concert Band

Concert Band MUS 419d
When, Fall: T, 6:00–8:30pm
When, Spring: TR, 3:00–4:20pm
Where: Music Department Room 108
Conductor, Fall: Dr. Adam Kehl
Conductor, Spring: Gwen Nakamura

The UH Concert Band meets on on Tuesday evenings in the Fall, and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons during the Spring semester. The Concert Band is the largest of the UH Bands, and typically performs one free concert per semester at the Ala Moana Centerstage as well as the UH Bands Aloha Concert. This ensemble is open to the entire UH System as well as community members, current high school students, band directors, and band alumni.

UH Basketball Pep Bands

During the UH Basketball season, the UH Marching Band performs at the Stan Sherrif Center in a rotation of pep bands at the Men’s and Women’s Basketball games, playing Pep Tunes and Tags, and keeping the crowd excited. The UH Basketball Pep Bands are led by conductor Gwen Nakamura. Listings and schedules for the UH Basketball Pep Bands are posted as the information becomes available.