Royal Hawaiian Band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Royal Hawaiian Band is the second oldest and only full-time municipal band in the United States. A body of the City & County of Honolulu, the Royal Hawaiian Band has been entertaining Honolulu residents and visitors since its inception in 1836 by Kamehameha III. It was thrust into global prominence under the leadership of Prussian Henri Berger, an officer of the imperial army of Germany loaned to the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Berger would later be known as the composer of many beloved marching tunes and honored with the title of Father of Hawaiian Music. Berger's composition and arrangement of Hawaiʻi Ponoʻi became the national anthem of Hawaiʻi and is still used today as the official state song. During its long and distinguished history, the Royal Hawaiian band also inspired the development of other brass bands throughout Polynesia and the Pacific. According to researcher Patrick Hennessey, the band may even be credited for originally introducing Hawaii's world-renowned song "Aloha 'Oe" to the mainland USA.
