Elementary students made their way through the McKay Auditorium stage as student drummers kept the audience and performers dancing during the BYU–Hawaii Shaka Steel performance on March 28. Audience members said the concert created a strong sense of community because of the joint effort from BYUH students and children in the Laie area.
Initially attending to support her roommate, Maybel Credo, a senior from the Philippines studying hospitality and tourism management, said she decided to stay for the whole show because she began to develop an appreciation for Caribbean music.
“I think the only song that I knew was Havana, and they played it well. All the rest was unfamiliar to me, but I loved the beat. They were all unique.”
The night began with a small collaboration from dancers from the group Helping Every Angel, and the BYU–Hawaii Polynesian drum band, Ka Pa Kani Ko’ele O Laie. The groups presented “Tumu Ha'ari,” arranged by the drum band’s director Lloyd Chandler.
The “Tumu Ha'ari” showcased a variety of dances from Helping Every Angel, a group dedicated to raising funds for their charity. According to their website, helpingeveryangel.com, they aim to help children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
Shaka Steel takes the stage
Shortly after the two groups performed, students in green shirts entered the stage. Surrounded by a variety of percussion instruments such as steel pans, Shaka Steel began their performance with a Jamaican folk song named “Linstead Market.”
As the night went on, the band continued to play songs with a Caribbean style of music. Kris Krisanalome, a junior from Thailand studying music and the drummer for Shaka Steel, said their goal was not only for people to enjoy the music but “also to learn the history of [Caribbean] music.”
“Maybe after the concert, [the audience] might be interested in the instruments and the style, or even where it originated, which is Trinidad,” Krisanalome said.
Mary Elizabeth Deyro, a senior from the Philippines studying psychology and a member of Shaka Steel, said she saw Shaka Steel’s performance a few semesters ago and remembered how the beautiful music. She then explained that performance led her to enroll in the class this semester.
Although she knew how to read notes and play the piano, Deyro said it was challenging for her to learn new songs on a new instrument.
“The arrangement of the notes on the drum were not like the piano where it was simple. It was like the circle of fifths and at first, I was confused. I was always wondering what we were playing, but now it’s okay,” she shared with a smile.
“Akaka Falls,” a song by Helen Parker and arranged by Jennifer Duerden was a crowd favorite, according to students. Aniela Santoso, a senior from Indonesia studying piano performance, said it was “the song that stood out most to me.”
Deyro also agreed, saying “Akaka Falls” was a beautiful song and she was proud that she could play the song on the steel pans.
Right before the event ended, the university’s Street Band joined the group to play the last few songs. Led by Dr. Henderson, the musicians played their saxophones, trombones, and trumpets, and ended the show with a bow.
Writer: Esther Insigne