Hawaii Tribune-Herald Island Beat Thursday, May 4, 2017 11 TICKET SALE DAY SAT ~ MAY 6 ~ 10am-noon ~ $50 at MEHANA BREWERY on East Kawili St. Buy your tickets on this day and enter to win Brewfest Merchandise at the Festival! Canʼt Make it on Saturday? Brewfest Tickets available ONLINE on Sunday, May 7 at www.hilobrewfest.com Saturday only! Enter to win Brewfest merchandise and MEHANA Growlers on Sale! One-Stop for Everything On Your List! KEAAU SHOPPING CENTER Several of George Sr.’s former students, including Soriano, Nephi Brown, Keala Trevino, Glenn Nihipali, Ben Kaili, Bert Naihe, Guy Imoto and Richard Jitchaku, went on to either teach music or become professional entertainers. More than 4,000 former and current members have shared in the tradition and experience of being a part of the WIS Ukulele Band. “I think he always gave that feeling to all the kids that they mattered,” Soriano says of Camarillo Sr. “It was great to be part of a group. He was so easygoing and he made it seem like the band was where you could belong and excel.” Soriano says her teacher also encouraged them to sing as well as play. “He said that it was an important part of playing,” she recalls. Camarillo Sr. died in 2002, but his son continues to perpetuate the legacy his father started, taking the students of the ukulele band to perform at venues around the island as well as neighboring islands, the mainland, Mexico and Japan. Unfortunately, the band’s annual end-ofschool concert tour is now in jeopardy as thousands of dollars earmarked for their upcoming trip — approximately $27,000 — recently was stolen. The band is trying to recover and has set up a GoFundMe account to accept donations. They aren’t yet sure, however, if they will have the funds to make their performances at Kahala Mall and Ala Moana Shopping Center in June. “Some of the proceeds from this concert will go towards helping our band,” Camarillo Jr. says. “When this happened, it was bad news, so hopefully the community can come out and support the band so we can still make the trip.” He says it’s about more than just playing the ukulele for his students. “They are building self-esteem and feeling good about themselves,” he says. “The students come out of their shell. At school, they might be loners, but in the band, they are part of a group and have a feeling of belonging. A lot of kids need that. Some might not excel in other subjects, but they come play and it gives them hope.” Soriano says the students are inspirational, but there is no age limit to when you can take up the instrument. “I want everyone to see that there is a starting point, yes, but there is so much more you can do and it’s very attainable if you put your heart and soul into it and you love it and just keep at it,” she says. “Many take it up late in life.” For this concert, Soriano says audiences can expect to hear an appreciation for the ukulele and see a celebration of the keiki who play it. “I hope people will come to celebrate ukulele and honor George Sr. We want people to just share the aloha with his son and the rest of the family,” she says. “We were just so happy to have had him in our lives.” Agrees Camarillo Jr., “My Dad touched a lot of lives. The ukulele band was his vision. I see some of his former students, and they can still remember it like it was yesterday. They built lifelong memories.” Doors open at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 general admission presale, $10 on the day of the show. Guests who bring an ukulele with them to the show will get admission for the presale price of $8. Visit the Palace Theater box office from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday or call 934-7010. Email Katie Young Yamanaka at BIVHawaii@ gmail.com. UKULELE From page 2 George Camarillo Sr.
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