The BYU-Hawaii Shaka Steel Band will take their unique Caribbean sound on the road with a tour to the Big Island March 15-18. The band will perform at Parker Ranch in Waimea, at Hualalai Private High School and the Kona LDS Stake center in Kona, and finally at the Prince Kuhio Mall in Hilo. The group will also present a fireside in the Hilo Stake Center Sunday evening, 18 March at 6 p.m.
This 15-member ensemble performs the lively, fast-paced music of the Caribbean and Latin America on steel drums or "pans," native instruments of Trinidad, creating a totally tropical ambience with cool grooves, good vibes, and great entertainment.
"Our group is very excited to perform on the Big Island - and happy to be in so many different locations," said Dr. Darren Duerdon, music director for the band. Duerdon did his graduate work at Florida State University and has been a performer and teacher of steel drums for over fifteen years. "This is a one-of-a-kind group and their style is contagious. They give off a vibe that really seems to connect with people living on the islands."
Shaka Steel plays a variety of crowd pleasing styles including the samba, reggae, spicy calypso, and rumba. They also feature arrangements of popular songs--among them "Brown-Eyed Girl" and "I Can See Clearly Now."
Leilani Miller, president of the ensemble and a junior from Laie, Hawaii majoring in International Cultural Studies, enjoys playing steel pans because it creates a unique sound and offers the flexibility of playing a variety of different musical styles.
"I've been a percussionist for years," Miller said. "I guess I have an affinity towards any kind of drum or rhythm I can get my hands on." Being in Shaka Steel "gives me the opportunity as a student to learn a cool new instrument - and the chance to tour lets me to use that education by performing what I've learned."
In 2006 the group was featured in the first "Hawaii Day of Percussion ," an event sponsored by the Percussive Arts Society .
Campus diversity is reflected in the origins of the band members who include: Kristi Dudoit, Leilani Miller, Keolanani (Keola) Kawahikukapulani Harrison, William Kiyoshi Yokoyama and Brandon Kimura-all of Hawaii, Ashley N. Nielsen (Montana), Melissa Zhi Shen Young (Malaysia), Akane Iida (Japan), Sejin Kim (Korea), Jaredita Subandriyo (Indonesia), John C. Smart (California), Scott W. Dimond (Utah), and Scott D. Campbell (Oregon).
For more tour information go to: http://w2.byuh.edu/perform/. For booking information contact: perform@byuh.edu or phone 808-293-3699.