Laie, HI—Shaka Steel, Brigham Young University Hawaii's steel drum band is scheduled to perform at several locations on Maui between March 12–15. Performances will include both high school exchanges as well as community concerts.
March 12 (Thursday), 12:30 p.m. Maui High School Performance Workshop
March 12 (Thursday), 7 p.m. Queen Kaahumanu Center Concert
March 13 (Friday), 7 p.m. Baldwin High School Auditorium Concert
March 14 (Saturday), 12 p.m. Lahaina Ocean Arts Festival Concert
March 15 (Saturday), 7 p.m. Lahaina LDS Chapel Concert
Directed by Dr. Darren Duerden, percussion professor and founder of the University ensemble formed fall of 2001, the 20 member ensemble will treat listeners to the lively, fast-paced music of the Caribbean and Latin America on steel drums, native instruments of Trinidad also known as "pans.” Audiences are often found dancing in their seats or in the aisles to the authentic sounds of calypso, soca, and samba.
This year's group combines students of various areas of study from Oahu, Kauai, Indonesia, New Zealand, Japan, and the U.S. mainland. For several selections on this year's program, members of the steel band morph into a percussion ensemble with featured theatrical selections on marimba and even one piece for drum heads alone. Along with numerous performances on Oahu, the band has in recent years completed successful tours to Kauai and the Big Island as well as played with many highly esteemed guest artists and experts in the percussion world.
"We're excited for this tour!” said Duerden. "We have a very diverse program with lots of fun music. We're thrilled to present our program to the audiences in Maui. I think they'll have a great time and enjoy our unique sound.” With nearly twenty years of steel band experience, this will be his third ensemble tour to Maui with various BYU–Hawaii ensembles.
Duerden can be reached directly at (808) 675-3909 (office) or by email at duerdend@byuh.edu.
[Photos available upon request]
—Photo by Kawika Wiess
—Tour graphics by Leilani Miller