Kerry Wasano – Band Director
Kerry Wasano is the Director of Bands at Maui High School in Kahului, Hawaii. His responsibilities include conducting the Concert, Symphonic, Marching and Pep Bands. He is a 1989 graduate of MauiHigh School, and went on to the University of Hawai`i at Manoa to receive his Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1996, and his Post Baccalaureate Certification in Secondary Education in 1998. He has studied conducting with Mr. Grant Okamura of the University of Hawai`i Band, and Mr. Henry Miyamura of the University of Hawai`i Orchestra and Hawai`i Youth Symphony Orchestra. In the Spring of 2006, Mr. Wasano traveled to Russia to study wind band conducting at the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts and the Moscow Military Conservatory, receiving a completion diploma and the title “Director of Folk Art, Specializing in Wind Band”.
Mr. Wasano is an accomplished saxophonist, and has performed with the University of Hawaii Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Orchestra, Saxophone Choir and Saxophone Quartet. He has also taught saxophone privately to students of various levels of ability. Mr. Wasano served on the University of Hawaii “Rainbow” Marching Band field staff, equipment staff, has charted pre-game drill designs for football games, and arranged some of the pep and marching show music.
In 1998, Mr. Wasano was hired as the Director of Bands at Maui High School. Since then, they have taken successful trips to Oahu to participate in the Oahu Band Directors Association Parade of Bands, the Kamehameha Schools Tournament of Bands, and the Mililani Trojan Bandfest. In 2005 they toured San Francisco, and in 2008 went to Los Angeles to participate in the Disney Magic Music Days clinic and concert at Disneyland. Since 2005, the band has grown considerably and has nearly doubled in size, with the marching band now being at approximately 120 members. In 2010-2013, under his direction, the band won four consecutive Sweepstakes Awards at various competitions on Oahu. In 2014, it was announced that the Maui High School Marching Band & Color Guard has been invited to march in the 126th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California on January 1, 2015.
Mr. Wasano is a past member of WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles), MENC (The National Association for Music Education), and the Maui District High School Band Association. He was inducted into the American School Band Directors’ Association (ASBDA) in 2012, considered one of the most prestigious school-level band directors’ organizations in the nation. Mr. Wasano has served as one of the directors of the All-Star Hula Bowl Band (1999-2001), and was the Maui Director of the Hawaii All-State Marching Band that marched in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California (2003, 2009) and in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City (2005). In 2013, he was selected as the Head Band Director for the Hawaii All-State Marching Band that marched in the 2014 Rose Parade.
Colton Rafanan – Assistant Band Director
Mr. Rafanan’s duties include working with the Marching Band and leading the Jazz Band. He is also employed as a mathematics teacher and a musician for the Maui Pops Orchestra and Maui Community Band. Before returning to Maui, Colton received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Northern Arizona University. In Arizona, he performed with the NAU Lumberjack Marching/Pep Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Ensemble, and several small ensembles under the Northern Arizona Tuba and Euphonium Ensembles. He is also a member of the National Association for Music Educators, International Tuba and Euphonium Association and the Alpha Lamba Delta Honors Society.
Ty Lim – Percussion Instructor
Ty started his band career with the Spirit of Sunnyvale marching youth band in 1990 from there he moved to the Santa Clara Vanguard organization from 1993 to 1996. He has taught with several groups in Bay Area including Wilcox H.S., Homestead H.S., Mountain View H.S., Leigh H.S. And also taught with at the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets from 2006 to 2008. He has been helping Maui High Band since 2008 and became full time in 2010-present.
Jeffrey Capponi – Guard Instructor
Jeffrey Capponi began his pageantry career in 2004 at Century High School in Portland, Oregon and through the years performed with Oregon Crusaders, Cascades, The Madison Scouts, The Blue Devils, North by Northwest Winterguard and Oregon Crusaders Indoor percussion. He has worked with numerous high school Colorguards, marching bands and drum corps which include Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, BOA and WGI Finalist O’Fallon Township HS, WGI Finalist Dartmouth HS, WGI Finalist Friendswood HS, WGI Finalist Oregon Crusaders Independent (Director and Designer), Lux Independent Winter guard and has been the Color Guard Director and Designer for Maui High School since 2017. Jeff currently resides in Eagle, Idaho as a full time visual designer and choreographer for programs throughout the United States.