The Shaka Steel Drum Ensemble was led for the first time ever by Dr. Jennifer Duerden, a special instructor of music, and performed its final recital with music from Brazil, the Caribbean, and even Disney in the McKay Auditorium on April 10. In the past, Duerden’s husband, Dr. Darren Duerden, directed the ensemble and she would create arrangements for the band.
“I hear the sound of the steel drums and I fall in love,” said Duerden. “The first time I heard it live, it was just a beautiful slow melodic piece. I just couldn’t believe the beautiful sound coming from the drums.”
The thing Duerden likes the most about the steel drums is being able to play music from different countries. She wishes word of Shaka Steel concerts “would get out more.” She said, “I try to get people to come to a first concert, because I feel like once they hear it the first time, they will mark it on their calendar for the next semester. … People hear a restful song and it makes them feel like, ‘Oh, I’m sitting on the beach,’ or it’s something exciting and they think, ‘Oh this is fun danceable music.’”
“We are the only fully functioning steel drum band in the state of Hawaii,” said Megan Hansen, a senior from Wyoming studying biomedical science. “I think that’s kind of an honor. It comes from our small school. [The University of Hawaii] doesn’t even have an official functioning steel drum band.
“Out of all the islands, we are the only ones who together, united, go on tour. We play for art festivals and other community members. I think it’s a hidden gem here that not a lot of people know about.”
Sarah Knight, a junior from California studying vocal performance, shared how hearing and playing music from a different culture gave her “another outlook on music.” She said, “There is more than just singing. There is more than just piano. There are instruments such as the steel drum from other cultures that are really fun, that give a [distinct] sound.
“The steel drums are the first reason why we are so different from the other [schools]. The sound it produces and the historic background from Trinidad, said Ninoy Kusuma, a senior from Indonesia studying music performance, with an emphasis on percussion. “I believe it is something not everyone has seen or heard before. The type of music is really different, the colors of the sounds, streams, and rhythmic.”
Hansen hoped her fellow band members could feel the unity she felt. She said she also hoped the audience left with a stronger connection to the culture the music originated from. Hansen said, “It’s a different type of culture, it’s more Caribbean. The steel drums are from Trinidad and Tobago. I loved it. This was my last semester on the steel drums, because I’m graduating. It meant a lot because I love my teachers and we went out with a bang. We played a lot of fun songs. The concerts are really fun to go to and play in.”
Sariah Taylor, a senior from Florida studying world music, played with the Tahitian drums as well as shaka steel. She commented on how these performances are “some of the best stuff going on around campus. Playing with the Polynesian Drum Ensemble was amazing. It’s an absolutely amazing experience to go from the music of Tahiti, then jump to the music of Trinidad. It’s a culture experience and really cool. We played ten individual solos for ten individual dancers. If you’re not already coming to these performances, you should come. It’s an opportunity for us to experience Tahiti.”
The concert opened with a performance by the Polynesian Drum Ensemble, a group made up of toere players. The performance showcased various songs from Tahiti with featured dance solos, while the Shaka Steel performance was filled with various songs from different parts of the world, including Brazil, the Caribbean, and even Disney songs were performed.
Writer: Dani Castro