The Kaimuki Middle School Music program consists of over 600 students in grades 6-8, participating in Beginning Ukulele, Intermediate Ukulele, Beginning Band, Beginning Strings, Concert Band, Advanced Strings, Concert Orchestra, and Chorus. The concert bands and orchestra have traveled to various places including the neighbor islands, the Mainland, and foreign countries. The orchestra, under the direction of Mrs. Norma Parado, traveled to Vancouver, Canada to participate in a "Discover British Columbia Festival," in 1987. The band traveled to the neighbor islands under the direction of Mr. Clarence Matsumoto, each year until his departure in 1986. The band and orchestra have traveled together to Maui, California, and in 2008 to Japan. Since then, the Music Department has returned to California, Japan, and in 2011, undertook the program’s first tour to the East Coast, visiting New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Most recently, the Kaimuki Symphonic Winds made their Carnegie Hall debut at the New York Wind Band Festival in March 2015. The band, orchestra, chorus, and ukulele programs continue to strive towards excellence while emphasizing community service, respect, responsibility, positive relationships, and resiliency.
