HHS band performing on Hawaii army base

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. WLFI - Harrison High School band students are packing up their instruments and heading to Hawaii. 50 Raider band members are hopping on a plane to Hawaii Saturday, July 2 to perform in Waikiki.

In 2005, band director Steve Cotten says the band took a trip to Hawaii.

"The performances were sort of shopping malls and park at the beach. They were fine, but nothing like we are doing this time," Cotten said.

Cotten said his students will be the first band in a long time to perform at the USS Arizona Memorial. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"It'll be just a very moving experience simply because so many people died at Pearl Harbor and we get to play patriotic music on Independence Day," explained Senior Julie Loftus. "I think it will be very emotional and lasting experience."

Also on Independence Day, the group will be the featured band for the Schofield Army Base 4th of July Spectacular.

"I believe that their band usually does this, but since they are deployed right now we are filling in their spots," said Senior Alex Haberfield.

"We are going to have a lot of interaction with the military," Cotten said. "Some of the other 25th band members that are still on base are going to sit in and play with us for part of the ceremony."

The Spectacular will also put the most attendance ever on the young performers.

"They're telling me 30-40 thousand in attendance," Cotten said.

"It's going stick with us for the rest of our lives," Haberfield said.

That's exactly what Cotten hopes happens.

"It being such a great holiday, being away from home, having that kind of interaction with our military, personnel, I think it is going to make them very proud to be Americans," he said.

You can hear some of the music the Raider band will be performing in Hawaii. They will be playing Thursday at 6:30 at Riehle Plaza in Lafayette.