Kapa‘a Middle School Choir and ‘Ukulele Band members attended the 30th Annual Heritage Music Festival March 17 to 21 in Anaheim, Calif. The choir’s performance consisted of show-choir choreography and sign language, followed by selections of song as they shared
Kapa‘a Middle School Choir and ‘Ukulele Band members attended the 30th Annual Heritage Music Festival March 17 to 21 in Anaheim, Calif.
The choir’s performance consisted of show-choir choreography and sign language, followed by selections of song as they shared hula and brought home a gold medal. For the first time, the ‘Ukulele Band competed in its own instrumental division and received a silver medal, according to a press release.
The participants are under the direction of Mary Lardizabal, and the ‘Ukulele Band is directed by Loke Sasil.
Overall, Kapa‘a Middle School received the “Spirit of Anaheim” award, given to the school that best represented its community. More than 15 choirs and instrumental groups participated in this nationwide festival.
“Our program is encompassed by incredible students and parents who support these wonderful opportunities. We held several fundraisers this year to defray the cost of the trip,” Lardizabal said in the press release.
This was Lardizabal’s ninth year participating in the Heritage Music Festival.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for choir members to experience the Mainland, to hear other choirs perform, to be adjudicated by outstanding professors of music and to develop greater confidence through performance and competition. We also were very fortunate to have a clinician from the San Diego Junior Theatre join us in Los Angeles to workshop with the members of the choir and ‘ukulele band,” Lardizabal said in the release.
“It takes a great deal of work planning a trip of this magnitude, but I see the quality and importance of this experience so very important. It is worth every effort,” she said.
