Kamehameha Schools Song Contest

Infobox Television
show_name=Kamehameha Schools Song Contest


creator=Kamehameha Schools
caption=
format=Singing Competition
picture_format=
camera=Multicamera setup
runtime=3 hours per episode
starring=Kapalama Campus High School students (grades 9-12)
country=USA
network=KHON (?-2006)
KGMB (2007)
first_aired=1921
last_aired=Present
num_episodes=88 (as of 14 March 2008)
website=http://www.ksbe.edu/2008/song-contest|

The Kamehameha Schools Song Contest is an annual music competition between the graduating classes of the school. The contest is televised live throughout the state of Hawaii on KGMB. It also is webcast live on the school's website and simulcast on the radio statewide (most recently on KUMU (AM)). The most recent competition was the 88th annual Song Contest, held on 14 March 2008. The next Contest is scheduled for 20 March 2009. [cite web |url=http://kapalama.ksbe.edu/high/home/academics/files/SchoolCalendar0809.pdf |title=Kamehameha Schools Kapālama School Calendar 2008-2009 |accessdate=2008-09-05 |publisher=Kamehameha Schools ]

History

The first song contest (then called the Inter-class Song Competition) was held at the original Kamehameha School for Boys in 1921, in front of the original Bishop Hall. It was started to perpetuate the memory of George A. Andrus, a music teacher at the school. Students in grades 5-9 each sang two songs, one of which had to be in Hawaiian. In 1922, both Kamehameha boys and girls held song contests, with the girls holding their contest separately in front of the assembly hall (located opposite of the current Farrington High School). When the school moved to their current location at Kapalama Heights in 1931, the contests were moved to the newly-built auditorium. The first combined contest took place in 1952 in Kekuhaupi'o, the new fieldhouse. Ever since 1964, the contest has been held at Neal Blaisdell Center (formerly called the Honolulu International Auditorium).

Purpose

Miss Laura Brown, Director of Music at Kamehameha (1926-1947) stated that "the objective of the song contest are to build up the repertoire of the best in Hawaiian music for the cultural heritage of any student who attends Kamehameha; to develop leadership, cooperation and good class spirit; and to give students the use of their singing voices and to give them pleasure in singing as a means of expression."Fact|date=February 2008

Format

Students at Kamehameha Schools' Kapālama High School participate in Song Contest as a graduation requirement. The current format of Song Contest involves three areas of competition: men, women, and coed. Each grade (9-12) sings a coed piece. Additionally, the sophomores, juniors, and seniors sing individual men's and women's pieces. The men's competition is held first in odd-numbered years, while the women's competition is first in even-numbered years. The coed competition always occurs last. Five judges from around the state judge the competition for language and musical performance. There are two language and two music judges, as well as an overall judge who judges both categories. Both categories are worth 50% of a class' overall score. Scores are used to determine which singing group is given each award.

Following the singing competitions, the entire student body sings school-related songs, including "Imua Kamehameha" (the school fight song), "Kamehameha Waltz", and "Kamehameha March". The latter two songs alternate each year; in 2008, the "March" was sung. The "hō‘ike", an exhibition of Hawaiian songs and hula, follows. After the hō‘ike, awards for the singing competitions are presented to the classes, and the evening closes with the student body singing "Sons of Hawaii", the school's alma mater.

List of awards

The following awards are presented after the hō‘ike and are based on the judges' scores. [ [http://www.ksbe.edu/2008/song-contest/program.pdf 2008 Song Contest Program] ]
* The Louise Aoe McGregor Award, awarded since 1972, recognizes the student song director who has "made the most significant contribution to the class in organizational ability, leadership, assistance to others, and persistence."
* The Richard Lyman Jr., okinaŌlelo Makuahine Award, awarded since 1989, recognizes the performance that made best use of the Hawaiian language. The award is named after a former Kamehameha Schools trustee who served from 1959 to 1988 and was "keenly interested in the preservation of Hawaiian language and culture."
* The George Alanson Andrus Cup, awarded since 1921, recognizes the best overall men's performance. This award is named after a former music director at Kamehameha, who suggested the idea of a Song Contest.
* The New England Mothers' Cup, awarded since 1922, recognizes the best overall women's performance. This award was donated to Kamehameha by Mrs. E. G. Scoville from Watertown, Connecticut, who heard the Kamehameha girls singing during a visit to the school.
* The Helen Desha Beamer Award, awarded since 1993, recognizes the best musical performance. This award is named after Helen Desha Beamer, a 1900 graduate of the Kamehameha School for Girls who made significant contributions to Hawaiian music. The award was donated by the Kamehameha Alumni Association.
* The Charles E. King Cup, awarded since 1967, is the most coveted award. It recognizes the best overall combined class performance. The award is named after Charles Edward King, an 1891 graduate of the Kamehameha School for Boys.

2009 competition

The 2009 Song Contest is honoring John Kameaaloha Almeida, a Hawaiian composer of more than 300 songs. This Contest is scheduled for 20 March 2009. [cite web |url=http://kapalama.ksbe.edu/high/home/academics/files/SchoolCalendar0809.pdf |title=Kamehameha Schools Kapālama School Calendar 2008-2009 |accessdate=2008-09-05 |publisher=Kamehameha Schools ]

2008 competition

The 2008 Song Contest was entitled "Ola Ka ‘Ōlelo ‘Ōiwi O Ka ‘Āina: Celebrating Hawaiian Language Revitalization" and reflected on the thirtieth anniversary of the 1978 Hawaii State Constitutional Convention, at which Hawaiian became one of the two official languages of the state of Hawaii.

Songs

The 2008 competition featured songs by ten contemporary Hawaiian composers:

;Womens' Competition
*"Aloha Ko‘olau" by Dennis Kamakahi
*"Ka Hīnano O Puna" by Kainani Kahaunaele
*"Aloha Hawai‘i Ku‘u One Hānau" by Frank Hewett;Mens' Competition
*"Ehuehu Mai Nei ‘O Mānoa" by Kīhei de Silva
*"Kulāiwi" by Larry Kimura
*"Napo‘ona Mahina" by Manu Boyd;Co-ed Competition
*"Pua ‘Ala Aumoe" by Jean ‘Ileialoha Beniamina
*"Ka Nohona Pili Kai" by Keali‘i Reichel and Puakea Nogelmeier
*"Ke ‘Ala ‘Ehu Kai O Hāna" by Kaumakaiwa Kanaka‘ole
*"He ‘Olu" by Julian Ako

Results

* Louise Aoe McGregor Award: Kahala Rowe (2008 Women), Zachary Lum (2010 Coed)
* Richard Lyman, Jr. Trophy: Class of 2010 Women
* New England Mothers' Cup: Class of 2010 Women
* George Alanson Andrus Cup: Class of 2009 Men
* Helen Desha Beamer Award: Class of 2009 Men
* Charles E. King Cup: Class of 2010

Trivia

* Song Contest first aired on the radio in 1953, and made its television debut in 1968. The 2000 Song Contest was the first to be webcast live on the internet.

* Before 1935, all classes were required to write their own original songs in Hawaiian. Currently, Song Contest has a theme that changes annually, and student directors from each class choose songs in accordance with the theme.

* The classes were originally divided into two divisions: the junior division for grades 7-9 and the senior division for grades 10-12. The junior division was discontinued in 1955 when grades 7-8 became the Preparatory Department, and the current format involves only grades 9-12.

See also

* Kamehameha Schools

References

External links

* [http://www.ksbe.edu/2008/song-contest 2008 Song Contest] , official website
* [http://www.ksbe.edu/2008/song-contest/program.pdf 2008 Song Contest program]
* [http://kapalama.ksbe.edu/archives/historical/songcontest/Default.php KS Archives of Song Contest (1920s-1970s)]
* [http://starbulletin.com/2003/03/17/features/story4.html Story about Song Contest 2003] from Honolulu Star-Bulletin