Author Archives: wasano

Maui High School Marching Band & Color Guard Invited to 2015 Rose Parade®

HONOLULU – Maui High School’s Saber Marching Band & Color Guard has been invited
by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses® Association to appear in the 126th Annual Rose
Parade on Jan. 1, 2015 in Pasadena, Calif. It will mark the first appearance by a Hawaii
public school band since Pearl City in 2006. Maui High is also just the second neighbor
island school selected for the prestigious parade. The Rose Parade is nationally
televised.

The announcement was made to a jubilant crowd of students, parents and band
boosters on Oct. 22 in the Maui High Gym. Maui High School Band Director Kerry
Wasano, who has led the program since 1998, says the band and color guard’s 110
students, their parents and the school community are honored and humbled by the
invitation to participate in one of the nation’s most prominent New Year traditions.
“These last couple of days (since receiving the invitation) have been overwhelming,”
said Wasano. “But we need our students to keep focus on their studies, and several
tournaments we’ll be participating in this year.” Wasano also said that fundraising for
the band’s trip to Pasadena would be a main focus in 2014. Wasano said he hopes to
also bring together supporters from the public and private sector to help pay for the trip.
He says it will take a collaborative effort of Maui High’s past and present band
supporters to make this happen.

Since 1950, when the Association began keeping records of band participants, 29 bands
from Hawaii have appeared, which includes the Hawaii All-State band, slated to perform
in the upcoming 2014 Rose Parade. The last neighbor island public school to participate
in the Rose Parade was Hilo High in 1992. The Viking band also appeared in the 1971
parade.