The Royal Hawaiian Band's History
From its royal beginnings in 1836, the Royal Hawaiian Band has entertained audiences in Hawai'i and around the world for 175 years. The King's Band, as it was once known, was founded by King Kamehameha III and became a staple of daily life by performing for state occasions, funerals and marching in parades. The band accom panied reigning monarchs of the time on frequent trips to the outer islands and brought their music to remote destinations of the kingdom such as the leper colony of Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai.
Leading the band at that time was Heinrich (Henry) Berger, who remains the most influential bandmaster to shape the band as we know it. His musical setting of the Hymn of Kamehameha I would eventually become the Hawaiian national, and now state anthem Hawai'i Pono'i. Thus for his contributions to the band and Hawaiian music in general, Berger became known as the Father of Hawaiian Music.
As the band grew in prominence, it made its first voyage outside of the kingdom co participate in a band competition held in San Francisco. There, the band took first prize amidst stiff competition from bands all across the country. This would mark the first of many major trips undertaken by the band which would draw attention to the beautiful music of the Hawaiian Islands. Since then, the band has traveled to Japan, Canada, Europe and various points across the U.S., including a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In September 2005, the band took a goodwill tour to Japan where it performed with ten Japanese hula halau, enthralling audiences out of their seats!
Today, the Royal Hawaiian Band is an agency of the City and County of Honolulu and is the only full-time municipal band in the United States. The band performs and marches in over 300 concerts and parades each year including: city, state, and military functions; schools, community centers, shopping malls, retirement communities, gradu ations and private events. Weekly public performances are held on Fridays at 'lolani Palace and Sundays at the Kapi'olani Park Bandstand.
The Band's Timeline
Compiled by: Ethel Iwasaki, Friends of the Royal Hawaiian Band
1836 Kamehameha III creates 1he King's Band
1872 Kamehameha V hires Heinrich (Henry) Berger from the Kingdom of Prussia to be the Band's Bandmaster
1873 Tradition of featuring a female singer begins with the hiring of Nani Alapai
1874 Hawai'i Pono'iwritten by King Kalakaua and Berger; the
melody based on the Prussian national anthem becomes Hawai'i 's national anthem
1876 Band begins tradition of Sunday concerts
1877 Governor John Dominis appoints Berger as permanent bandmaster
1883 Band wins contest out of 29 regional bands in San Francisco, California; plays Aloha 'Oe composed by Queen Lili'uokalani
1893 Band becomes official Provisional Government Band after the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani. Most musicians leave in protest and form the Hawaii National Band, touring the U.S. to engender support for the Queen and Hawai'i's continuing independence.
This is expressed in Ellen Prendergast's Mele 'ai Pohaku
1898 Band becomes the Territorial Band after annexation to the United States
1906 Band, led by Berger, embarks on six month mainland tour
1905- Prince Kuhio works to form the City & County of
1909 Honolulu; Band becomes an agency of the City
1922 Radio station KDYX starts weekly broadcasts of Band and
Glee Club
1974 Band tours Canada with Bandmaster Kenneth Kawashima
1978 Band again tours Canada then goes on to tour east coast of United States with Kawashima
1979 Friends of the Royal Hawaiian Band is incorporated
1983 Band tours Europe under Bandmaster Aaron Mahi
1988 Band performs in Carnegie Hall, New York City under Mahi
1989 Band performs at Hiroshima Pearl Park
1999 Band voted into Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame
2005 Band tours Japan under Bandmaster Michael Nakasone
2006 Royal Hawaiian Band Music Society is incorporated
2011 Band celebrates 175 th birthday with memorable anniversary concert