Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 12, 1 December 1985 — Royal Hawaiian Band [ARTICLE]

Royal Hawaiian Band

The Royal Hawaiian Band, under the direction of Aaron Mahi, observed its 149th anniversary with a special program Nov. 21 in the Honolulu Hale Courtyard. This musical organization is the only munieipal band in the United States. It has been an entity of the Honolulu county government since 1905. The band was initiated in 1836 as a group of wandering musicians called "The King's Band." It played during King Kamehameha IH's reign for special occasions, parades and funerals. By 1872, the services of Heinrich Berger were commissioned. The new headmaster, born in Potsdam and the assistant bandmaster with an elite infantry regiment from Prussia, conducted the musicians during the next 43 years. Berger was commissioned a captain when the band became a part of the Royal Hawaiian Military Band in 1876. Heinrich Berger became Henry Berger when he was naturalized and changed his first name. He introduced European music in addition to influencing the development of Hawaiian music. The band lost its central plaee in Honolulu's social and cultural life and was nearly disbanded following the overthrow of the monarchy. Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, involved in efforts to establish county government, introduced measures to support the transfer of the band to the county. It assumed its plaee as part of the newly-formed county government on July 1, 1905, and for the past 80 years has been able to continue without interruption.