Last night was my fourth and final Kamehameha School’s Song Contest. I’ve gone to eight as my sister also graduated from the school so my last one felt like a long time coming. If you’re not aware of what Song Contest is, it’s a culminating event where each class in the high school sings one or three songs and competes against the other three classes. The freshmen always sing one co-ed song and the sophomores, juniors, and seniors sing three songs (women, men, and co-ed). The contest is extremely competitive and we work on our songs for nearly three months before the big night.
This year my class’ women sang Kamalei A Paoa written and arranged by Randie Kamuela Fong, the men sang Ho‘i Ke Aloha I Ra‘iātea written by Randie Kamuela Fong and Nu‘ulani Atkins and arranged by Randie Kamuela Fong, and the whole class sang Ka Huliau ‘Ana written and arranged by Palani Vaughan. The theme of the contest this year was He Moku, He Kanaka and was inspired by the voyage of the Hokūle‘a.
Fortunately, my class “swept” by winning all of the class awards and tied with the class of 2011 and 2014 for most awards won in one competition.
The Richard Lyman, Jr., ‘Ōlelo Makuahine Award (outstanding use of the Hawaiian language): (TIE)
Winners: Senior Women and Senior Men
George Alanson Andrus Cup (men’s competition):
Winner: Senior Men
New England Mothers’ Cup (women’s competition):
Winner: Senior Women
Helen Desha Beamer Award (outstanding musical performance): (Tie)
Winners: Senior Women and Senior Men
Charles Edward King Cup (combined class competition):
Winner: Senior Class
