A. Meleana Bader KSH’15 wasn’t sure she still had it. Nearly a decade after graduating, she stepped into the Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i band room, unsure who she’d find or if she could even keep up.
But that uncertainty proved to be short-lived.
“The minute I entered the classroom again, an instant spark of joy hit me,” Bader said. “It was super emotional.”
She was one of nearly 50 alumni, ‘ohana and community members who returned to form the first kauhale band at KS Hawai’i. Performing in front of hundreds, they played familiar songs from their time in the band alongside newer pieces with current middle and high school haumāna. The night was filled with reunions, memories and a deep sense of pride in being pua a Pauahi.
The idea had been in the works for a while. KS band kumu Alan Kinoshita and Willie Harris had talked about bringing former students back to play but this year, Harris decided it was time. The open call for members, even those who didn’t graduate from the campus, reflected the school’s culture — one where community is at the center.
“Even though our students leave, they are always a part of us,” Harris said. “We recognize our band program as a type of kauhale, and that sense of community reaches beyond our classroom.”
Four rehearsals gave the 42-piece band time to shake off the rust. The group even invited retired band director, Wayne Kawakami, to conduct — a blast from the past for Bader and classes before her. Harris reminded them that picking up their instrument again was like riding a bike. The muscle memory was there but so was the nostalgia.
“In band, you didn’t have to pretend to be somebody to fit in,” Bader said. “Whether you were a jock, bookworm, surfer or one of the popular kids, none of that mattered. We could just be ourselves.”
Harris often tells his students: “There’s no bench in band.” Every player contributes because collaboration is key. Those kinds of life lessons stuck with alumni long after graduation.
“We need students to be in the band, but there are some students who need the band,” Harris said. “It’s a space where kids build pilina and discover things about themselves they wouldn’t in a classroom.”
For Jaysha Alonzo-Estrada KSH’15, band brought balance to her packed schedule of schoolwork and sports. The former soccer player and honor student still carries the discipline and teamwork she learned during rehearsals, remembering the high expectations set on trips like a competition in New York.
“I’m really grateful for all the opportunities KS gave me,” Alonzo-Estrada said. “It taught me how to represent not just the school, but my family and Pauahi.”
Back on stage, Bader took it all in — her former classmates around her, the crowd filled with familiar faces. It felt like coming home.
“Seeing Mr. Harris conducting at the front of the room, while I saw my classmates in the crowd, made me feel like I was coming back home – a place I always felt accepted.”
The reunion of the band showed the enduring connections fostered through music and shared experiences. As the final notes echoed, it was clear that this community will continue as a celebration of belonging and the lasting impact of those formative years at Kamehameha.
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