Marsha Schweitzer, Lecturer in Bassoon at UH-Manoa, is also a music arranger of some repute and is being honored by the Monarch Chamber Players of Houston, Texas, in their season finale concerts on May 16 and 17, 2026.

The Monarchs will perform two of Schweitzerʻs longest and most difficult arrangements at these concerts, Schoenberg’s Verklarte Nacht and Mendelssohn’s Octet. Both works were originally written for string ensembles, re-orchestrated by Schweitzer for wind instruments.

“Arrangers are accustomed to remaining in the background,” Schweitzer said, “giving the original composers the limelight. There are just a few composers whose works warrant having an entire program devoted to them – Beethoven, Brahms, or Tchaikovsky, perhaps. So, to have an entire program devoted to my arrangements is a rare and humbling honor.”

Monarch Chamber Players is a collective of Houston-based professional musicians committed to taking classical chamber music out of the concert hall and into accessible community spaces. Monarch is a member of the Texas Touring Roster and currently presents over 50 concerts annually. The ensemble has brought classical music to over 25 Houston neighborhoods, performing at a variety of venues including parks, churches, farms, gas stations, traditional indoor venues, and front porches.

Yunxin An, PhD student in Composition, won the UH Bands/UH Music Student Composition Competition in January with her composition Neon Night. 

Neon Night is An’s first composition for wind ensemble, inspired by her concept of the modern-day nocturne. “When I stroll around the city these days, I often get this ‘unreal’ feeling. Everything, from the bright lights to the music echoing out of someone’s apartment…feels like nighttime nowadays is not what it used to be,” An said. “In Hawai’i, though, nature has a way of blending into the cityscape, holding everything in a subtle balance.” 

The competition’s panel acknowledged that composing for a large ensemble is a significant accomplishment. Even though An was familiar with most of the individual instruments, the real challenge– and also the most exciting aspect– was learning how to integrate them as an ensemble. “In Neon Night, I would like to deliver the liveliness and the vibrant colors of the night scene,” An explained. “At the same time, it’s important to me that every musician in the ensemble has a part that is both meaningful and fun to play.”

“It is a privilege for any composer to see their vision for a large ensemble realized in a live performance,” An reflected. “I am truly grateful for this opportunity. Special thanks to Dr. Osborne, Dr. Boeckman, friends, and my furry friends, for helping me during my composition process.”  
As the winning composer, Neon Night will be performed by the UH Wind Ensemble at the UH Bands Aloha Concert on Sunday, April 26 at 7pm in the McKinley High School Auditorium under the direction of Dr. Jeff Boeckman.

The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Department of Music is pleased to welcome two new faculty members, Dr. Thomas Kloss as an assistant professor of music and associate band director, and Dr. Tyler Ramos as an instructor of music. 

With more than 27 years teaching instrumental music in both secondary and higher education, Dr. Kloss brings a wealth of experience to the Department of Music. Having earned degrees from the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, he is a reflective practitioner who is continually seeking out new teaching skills, strategies, and innovations. He values experiential learning and student-centered experiences and says he is looking forward to a new adventure in teaching on Oʻahu. “Meeting the students and faculty of the UH Department of Music has been a real joy. I’m excited to be a part of the music ‘ohana and see what our future holds.” 

A UH Mānoa Music alumni who was raised on Oʻahu, Dr. Ramos has performed at venues across North America and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature, along with a Music Theory Minor and Arts Leadership Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. He says of his teaching philosophy, “I believe that we can learn something from every piece of music, regardless of style. We learn best when we study all types of music!” He is excited to return to UH Mānoa, now as an instructor, stating, “The UH Department of Music is a special place. Having been in their shoes, I can tell the students that the faculty here are really rooting for student success. Practice and study hard, as you never know how the connections you make here will help you later in your professional life.” 

Welcome Dr. Kloss and Dr. Ramos!

Dr. Dustin Ferguson, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Music Visiting Assistant Professor of Music, Interim Associate Director of Bands, traveled to the Kingdom of Tonga to help fulfill one of the Late King George Tupou V final wishes of establishing a woodwinds group and concert band in Tonga.

Dr. Ferguson, in collaboration with Ohio State University and Tonga’s Friendly Islands Music Initiative, helped to build a woodwinds group and concert band, creating a foundation for the future of music education in the Kingdom of Tonga by sharing his knowledge of woodwind, conducting, and concert band instruction.

“It has been an incredibly meaningful experience to introduce woodwind, conducting, and concert band instruction to the Kingdom of Tonga for the first time in its history,” states Dr. Ferguson. “This project has allowed us to collaborate with the Tongan community, provide educational opportunities and build a foundation for the future of music education. It is an honor to be part of this historical moment and to help create a lasting legacy in Tonga’s cultural and musical development. We are proud to contribute to the realization of the Late King Tupou Vʻs vision.”

Featured on ‘Upfront’ with Guy Hagi, a segment of Hawaii News Now, “local legend” Gwen Nakamura (’84) has been the assistant marching band director at UH Mānoa for over 30 years.

Nakamura’s distinguishing feature at every basketball, volleyball, and football game is her giant balloon hat. She explained in the video/podcast: “one of our band students was from Maui– her dad flew in for every Wahine volleyball game on the weekends. He started making me hats! He no longer comes, so now a band alumni who used to play trombone in the band, he now makes all of the balloon hats. Super creative, super fun. The best part [is] at the end, giving [the hat] away to a young child, they love it.”

The name of the game– whatever sport it may be– is energy. “We’re there to get the crowd to enjoy, to clap along, or to sing along. I love it,” Nakamura said. “When new students come in, it’s always refreshing.” If the band can energize the crowd, together, they can “be the catalyst” to energize the players. Guy Hagi even asked Nakamura if she thinks the band ever influenced a win. She said, “I would hope that every game [UH] wins, we [the band] play an important role.” Regardless, the coaches recognize the importance of their support. “We had Coach Chang come during our marching band camp before school started. The coaches are always gracious, very appreciative. I think they appreciate having that energy.”

It’s not just the coaches who are grateful for the marching band– it’s the crowd too. “There’s this older couple [who] goes to men’s and women’s volleyball and basketball…and they have a sign for the band that says ‘the band rocks.’ To see that kinda stuff, it’s so awesome,” Nakamura told Hagi. “I’m a super-fan. I used to go to UH sports when I was a kid with my parents and brothers. Doing it now is so fun.”

See the full video here.

This Fall, the Music Department at UH Mānoa is fortunate to introduce three new faculty members: Dr. Dustin Ferguson, Dr. Alec Schumacker, and Dr. Yuan-Yu Kuan.

Dr. Dustin Ferguson serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music and Interim Associate Director of Bands. In addition to teaching music education courses, he conducts the Concert Band, Symphony Band, and is director of the renowned Rainbow Warrior Marching Band. On being welcomed to the faculty in the UH Band program’s centennial year, he shares, “I am delighted to be a part of UH’s storied legacy. It’s an honor to contribute to a program with such a rich history of musical excellence.” In addition to his primary role in the perpetuation of the bands, he said, “I am excited to collaborate with the wonderful faculty and students here to continue our pursuit for musical excellence while focusing on relationships.” 

Dr. Alec Schumacker, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choirs, is also enthusiastic about new connections: “I’m delighted to join the music faculty at UH Mānoa. It’s a thrill to be on a team with such wonderful, passionate, and thoughtful colleagues!” His direct participation in new-school-year welcome events allowed Dr. Schumacker’s choirs, University Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, to garner many new singers from across campus. “Working with the students this first week has been a fantastic experience,” he expressed. “I can’t wait for all the great music we’ll make together.”

Dr. Kuan Yuan-Yu, Assistant Professor of Music in Ethnomusicology says, “I’m excited to return to Hawai’i and join the ethnomusicology faculty, building on the legacy of its founder, visionary leader Barbara B. Smith. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues, including R. Anderson Sutton, as we continue to expand the program’s focus on Indigenous musics and narratives.” As a place of rich confluence, Hawai’i is a cultural epicenter for the intersection of many Asian and Pacific Island cultures. Dr. Kuan continues, “My research on inter-island musical exchanges and alliances among Indigenous peoples across the Asia-Pacific, along with my involvement in Hawaiian music, will contribute to a program that is grounded locally and reaches across oceans.”

Kaulana Nā Pua with Raiatea Helm

Reposted from UH News

Giving back to the community is at the core of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa band program and its generosity was on full display in March 2021. With many school band programs unable to meet in person for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UH Bands organized the first-ever Hawaiʻi high school virtual honor band, which released two video performances. Approximately 50 students representing 24 different high schools on four islands were selected to participate in the online event.

Students received instrumental lessons with UH Mānoa faculty, met and worked with guest composers, and talked with Hawaiʻi’s own singer/songwriter/musician Raiatea Helm about her career in music and the meaning behind the mele (song) Kaulana Nā Pua, which she performed with the students. They then individually recorded their own parts, which were assembled into video performances.

UH Mānoa Director of Bands Jeffrey Boeckman saw this as a chance for young musicians from across the islands isolated due to the pandemic, to come together and make meaningful music.

“It has been a long time for all of us away from each other,” Boeckman said. “From the connection that making music together can bring, we were eager to provide a meaningful musical activity. We are so fortunate to bring these young musicians together with an artist like Raiatea.”

The UH Bands acknowledged the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts for its support of the project.

View the band’s performances:

This effort is an example of UH Mānoa’s goals of Enhancing Student Success (PDF) and Excellence in Research: Advancing the Research and Creative Work Enterprise (PDF), two of four goals identified in the 2015–25 Strategic Plan (PDF), updated in December 2020.

Joy by Frank Ticheli

Even with current social distancing restrictions, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Wind Ensemble is making music and sharing some aloha. The ensemble just released their “Virtual Band” project on YouTube and Facebook.

Part of the UH Bands program, the UH Wind Ensemble hasn’t been able to meet or rehearse in person since instruction at the campus moved online in March. “We really miss rehearsing and making music together,” says Jeffrey Boeckman, Director of Bands and associate professor of music. “This ‘Virtual Band’ project was a way for us to stay connected and hopefully share a little aloha through our music.”

For the project, the students chose Queen Liliʻuokalani’s Aloha ‘Oe, recording their parts separately at home. Malcolm Mekaru, Sustainability Data and Communications Specialist with the UH Office of Sustainability, volunteered to edit all the videos together. The music was arranged by Clarence Hayase for the Central District Band Festival – mahalo to the directors of the CDBF for their permission.

The UH Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Boeckman, recently visited Kaua’i to perform three concerts of the Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds. The first concert took place on Sunday February 23, 2020 and was a standing-room-only ‘ohana concert. The other two keiki concerts took place on Monday February 24th, 2020. Dr. Boeckman said about the concert series, “The Sunday ‘ohana concert was also a benefit for the Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project, a small but important group of folks who have working on bird conservation issues on Kaua’i for years. Between a silent auction and cash/checks, they received over $7,000 in donations that afternoon. After attending one of the keiki concerts, Kaua’i County Councilmember Luke A. Evslin reached out to the KFBRP, offering his assistance and asking for the group’s help in creating and drafting local policies and bills that would help native bird populations on Kaua’i.”

Members of the UH Wind Ensemble flew to Kaua’i to perform the Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds, a multi-movement work that brings together composers, animators, filmmakers, educators and others. Movements of the symphony were written by faculty from UH-Mānoa and UH-West Oʻahu: Takuma Itoh, Michael Foumai, Thomas Osborne, Jon Magnussen, Daniel Houglum, and Donald Womack. Hula was performed by UH-Mānoa Music Education students. Local animators provided animation for the symphony as well. A short film about the project can be seen here. This trip was funded in part by Hawai’i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Information on the Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds can be found here.

Photos by Nick Matherne

Associate Professor and Director of Bands Jeffrey Boeckman has been invited to present at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois this December, at a session entitled “Bridging the Gender Gap: Developing Strategies for Creating Equity in Ensemble Programming.” The Midwest Clinic International Band Orchestra, and Music Conference is the country’s oldest and largest music education conference, with more than 17,000 attendees from all fifty states and thirty countries. The conference offers a wide array of fine performances from around the world, clinics from foremost experts in music education, and exhibitions featuring the latest music industry trends. Dr. Boeckman will serve on a panel discussion with prominent conductors and composers, encouraging programming of “excellent music by composers who happen to be women.”