David and Beth Kammerer, music department faculty at BYU-Hawaii for more than 20 years, said their goodbyes at a farewell banquet June 2. Faculty and students alike expressed sadness at seeing them leave. “We didn’t expect him to retire this early,” commented Dan Bradshaw, the Chair of the Music and Visual Arts program and friend of the Kammerers for nearly 10 years. “David was a really great advocate for the students on the campus. Sometimes administrative decisions are reached without fully considering the student point of view, but David was always there to make sure that whatever we did was best for the students.” David Kammerer first arrived at the campus in 1993, when the music department was relatively small. He served as a teacher and faculty member of the music department, even becoming the chair of the department for 6 years. “Twenty-three years,” Kammerer chuckled. “It’s more than likely going to be more than a quarter of my lifetime, and to spend it here in this environment is such a blessing.” He said he helped to form many of the musical programs BYUH students can participate in today. “We’ve had a very fine concert choir all these years,” he said. “The other ones were works in progress. The Jazz Band, the Symphonic Band, and the University Chorale were all works in progress, and it’s been very gratifying to see them achieve higher and higher excellence.” Beth Kammerer noted that “in the past few years, I’ve seen a lot more students composing and arranging, and then having their work performed here on campus. And that’s a lovely aspect.” Her husband agreed. “We have people who have goals to be film score arrangers, band arrangers, and choir arrangers. That’s really nice, because for a while those other dimensions weren't here on campus,” he said. Ellie Isobe, a junior in music education, took David Kammerer’s world music culture class. At the farewell banquet, she was visibly upset at the Kammerer’s imminent departure, and said, “They are, like, the sweetest people ever. They are so nice and so spiritual and so intelligent, and they really know music.” Another student, Kate Hedrick, who works as a secretary in the Music Department, said David Kammerer “always just brightens up the office every time I see him.” The Kammerers said they find joy in seeing their students succeed and improve. “It’s especially gratifying when you take someone who’s got latent talent and passion, but has not yet had the opportunity to be closely and intensely mentored as a music student. Those have been some of my most rewarding relationships throughout the years,” said David Kammerer. The Kammerers said they are sad to leave the campus, but intend to return regularly as “Snowbirds” from the cold weather at their home in Pennsylvania. “I’m going to miss the truly international student body,” said David Kammerer. When asked about the campus, Beth Kammerer smiled and said, “It is a place like no other because you are able to study in a place where the gospel is lived by the faculty and by the student body. You’re able to interact with and become lifelong friends with people from all around the world.” Bradshaw said he was confident the department would continue to thrive in their stead, but was still loath to see them leave. “Every person brings a different personality to the department, and even though we’ve already hired a replacement who we know is going to be great, the personality is never quite the same, and we’re really going to miss David. He’s been a great colleague and a good friend. They’re going to be impossible to replace.”
