Kyoto Tachibana High School Marching Band is Returning to Kauai

TACHIBANA BAND RETURNS TO KAUAI

The award-winning Kyoto Tachibana High School marching and stage band returns for its 7th Kauai Tour. The 106 member band is comprised of 99 girls and 7 boys and will be on Kauai August 18-22.

Formerly an all-girl school, Tachibana became a co-ed school in 2008. The acclaimed Tachibana band has come to Kauai every 3 years since 1998, and has performed at 1996 World Olympic Games in Atlanta; and twice at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Established in 1961, Tachibana is one of Japan’s first high school marching bands which won numerous local and national awards.

Under music director, Hiroyuki Tanaka, the band will perform their high-energy, precision music and marching in concert Sunday, Aug. 21 at Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihue. Program for the concert includes “Super Mario Brothers”; a Japanese samba, “Kaze Ni Naritai” (I want to be the wind); collection of songs by late singer, Kyu Sakamoto, of “Sukiyaki” fame; big band arrangements of “Sing Sing Sing”; “Love Machine”; “Stars & Stripes Forever” and surprise performance.

Tachibana will also perform a “Marching Show” as featured at Osaka Dome Baseball Stadium Dome. The concert will benefit Kauai All-State Band under band director, Sarah Tochiki of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School and Kauai High School Band Boosters. In May 2016, Kauai All-State Band which is comprised of band students from Kauai, performed at the National Memorial Day parade and Concert Series in Washington DC. Since 1998.

Tachibana band has contributed more $16,000 to KHS Band Boosters Club and Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School band. The concert is supported by County of Kauai and Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho who visited Kyoto Tachibana High School last November and met with its headmaster.

Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan which located in the western region near Osaka and is Japan’s top visitor destination and attraction with historic temples and shrines; artisan shops and galleries; museums and traditional-Japanese-style restaurants.

Also, Sarah Tochiki is looking for families to host Tachibana students, Aug. 19-21. For more information, please contact Sarah Tochiki at sarah.tochiki@gmail.com or Art Umezu at 241-4948 or aumezu@kauai.gov