2020 Program

The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival will feature school visitations, a steel guitar workshop, kanikapila, Open Stage sessions, and a ho‘olaule‘a featuring several of Hawai‘i's steel guitar masters.

Program

Click here to see and download the Festival's Complete Event Schedule

Thursday and Friday School Presentations

The festival's educational component provides learning opportunities for local area schools. These educational presentations will be made by teams of festival steel guitar masters and are geared towards reintroducing the Hawaiian steel guitar to the younger generation and to get them interested in the instrument and its importance in Hawaiian music. If your Kaua‘i school is interested in such a presentation and has not been contacted, please fill out the contact form to reserve your opportunity.

Friday Open Stage Entertainment

Friday Open stage entertainment will be held in the Makai Room and feature guest artists and performers. These 30-minute playing sessions will showcase steel guitarists from all over the world, including some Aloha Music Camp attendees.

10:30 AM	Rebecca Woo
11:30 AM	Jess Montgomery
12:00 PM	Kris Oka
12:30 PM	Mark Gaponoff
1:00 PM	Vickie Van Fechtmann
1:30 PM	Rhonda Murotake
2:00 PM	Barbara Bones
2:30 PM	Heu‘i Bandmann
3:00 PM	Aaron Benolkin
3:30 PM	Ke Kula Mele Makua
4:00 PM	Ke Kula Mele NextGen

Friday Evening Workshops

Friday evening steel guitar workshops will be presented by Alan Akaka and Bobby Ingano in the Makai Room.

6:00 PM	Alan Akaka - "Want to BE A PLAYER?"
7:00 PM	Greg Sardinha - "More Tips and Tricks"

Friday Evening Kanikapila

A public kanikapila jam session will be held in the Makai Lobby. Festival guests are invited to bring their instruments, amplifiers, and music stands as appropriate and play along Hawaiian-style with the steel guitar masters. The kanikapila will begin at approximately 9:00 P.M.

Saturday Ho‘olaule‘a

The festival's main program will be hosted by Lady Ipo Kahaunaele-Ferreira. The Ho‘olaule‘a will showcase each of the Festival's featured performers in individual programs. The finale will feature all Ho‘olaule‘a steel guitarists playing together in a group kanikapila, round-robin style. Performances will begin at noon and continue to approximately 6 P.M. in the hotel's Makai Room.

Featured Steel Guitarists

12:00 PM	Emcee Welcome
12:30 PM	Proclamation Presentation
12:45 PM	Kilipaki Vaughan
1:15 PM	Kapono Lopes
1:50 PM	Joey and Tai Misailidis with Kapa‘a Middle School Choir and ‘Ukulele Band
2:25 PM	Dave "DK" Kolars
2:55 PM	Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz
3:30 PM	Pono Fernandez and Ethan Goore with Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School Chorus and ‘Ukulele Band
4:05 PM	Steve Cheney
4:35 PM	Greg Sardinha
5:05 PM	Alan Akaka
5:35 PM	Featured steel guitarists jam session

NextGen Steel Guitar Players and Musicians

"NextGen" Steel Guitar students and musicians of Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i School of Hawaiian Music will perform for festival attendees' enjoyment. These musicians as young as age 11 will perform during the Open Stage Entertainment. NextGen steel guitarists Pono Fernandez, Ethan Goore, and Joey Misailidis will also appear in the main ho‘olaule‘a program. Joey qith her sister Tai on U-bass will perform with the Kapa‘a Middle School Choir and ‘Ukulele Band. Pono and Ethan will perform with the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School Chorus and ‘Ukulele Band.

Saturday Evening Kanikapila

Steel Guitar Exhibit

An exhibit featuring vintage and contemporary lap steel guitars will be presented at the festival. The instruments are from the instrument collections of Kaua‘i steel guitarist Martin Curnan and Maui steel guitarist Geri Valdriz. Come and see this wide assortment of steel guitars.

The Proclamation

Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami will issue a proclamation commending the Hawaii Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences for its continuous efforts to revitalize the Hawaiian steel guitar. The proclamation will be presented by steel guitarist Kilipaki Vaughan on behalf of Mayor Kawakami. See the proclamation here.

The Festival Poster

2020 Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival Poster

The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival poster was designed by Addison Ching and features pictures of the master performers superimposed on a picture of an Excel 8-string Jerry Byrd Frypan steel guitar. Click on the thumbnail for a larger view.