Giving concerts for the community at various venues around the island, the Maui Community Band, a nonprofit ensemble, offers numerous performances throughout the year. The band is a diverse group of about 45 volunteer musicians, with members from all walks of life, including doctors, opera singers, car salesmen, bankers, teachers, hotel workers, and retirees. Many are also students from local intermediate and high schools who yearn for more performance experience and challenges. The rest are adults who enjoy maintaining their skills as well as mentoring the younger musicians. The band practices year-round at Iao Intermediate band room on Thursday evenings. 

The current Maui Community Band Director, Ted Manzano, Jr., is a retired middle-school band teacher and performer with over 40 years of experience as a musician and educator. He joined the band as a musician in 2010 and accepted the director position in 2017, following in the footsteps of the late Lisa Owen, who founded the Maui Community Band in 2003 and was involved in the Maui music scene for over 30 years as a professional tuba player and conductor.  

Manzano said, “We’re open to anyone who is interested in playing with us. Most of our members have instruments in their closets they just want to play. They hear about us through the grapevine, which helps fulfill our mission of being here for those who simply love to play music.”  

The Community Band has a long-time relationship with the Arts Education for Children Group, who commissioned several original works for them. The band has also performed during the Lahaina 4th of July fireworks show. “We still try to perform in Lahaina,” Manzano noted. “Our fourth of July concert was always at the banyan tree; this past year it was in Kāʻanapali. We will surely perform somewhere on the West Side to be part of the support system for everyone. That’s why we’re here: to be Maui Strong!”  

This holiday season, the Maui Community Band concert schedule includes performances on December 6, 3:45 pm at the Shops at Wailea, and December 13, 6:00 pm at South Maui Gardens. The Community Band’s performances are free to the public, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early as seating may be limited.