The Island Swing Orchestra, with more than 20 players, will perform from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu.
Highlighting the concert will be Roy Kimura, the rehearsal director, who played horn for the Navy band during the Vietnam war. Kimura also plays the saxophone, clarinet and flute, and is accompanied by first tenor on sax, Bill Noble, whose reputation is well-known throughout the islands.
Marius Stranger is an accomplished vocalist, having received his music degree from the University of Oslo. He is accompanied by vocalist Kauilani Trainer, who has been a loyal band member for five years. Piano is played by Annu Shionoya, a graduate of Osaka College of Music, Japan and Berkeley College of Music.
The concert will be a journey through the Big Band Era remembering Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Artie Shaw, Diane Schuur and Frank Sinatra.
The Island Swing Orchestra is a highly dedicated and successful group of professional and advanced music students from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. The group performs classic Big Band favorites from the 1920s through the ’80s, including ballroom, Latin, swing and waltzes, making the orchestra exclusive to this genre of music throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The Island Swing Orchestra is a nonprofit organization, created under the direction of Stranger of Norway, providing quality music on behalf of the residents of Hawaii Island.
Concerts and an educational experience are offered at several venues in Kona, Waimea and Hilo, as well as hosting fundraisers throughout the year since 2007.