Lakeside High School Music Students Participate in Annual Pearl Harbor Festivities in Honolulu, Hawaii

Members of Lakeside High School’s band, chorus and color guard recently returned from a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, where they took part in festivities commemorating the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. DeKalb County’s Lakeside was the only Atlanta school invited to perform at the annual event. Over 85 students participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the USS Arizona Memorial, played a tribute concert onsite at Pearl Harbor and marched in the Waikiki Holiday Parade down Kalakaua Avenue along Waikiki Beach. The trip was organized by Lakeside Music Director David Fairchild and Choir Director Thomas FitzStephens. A one-minute video of the Lakeside Marching Vikings in the parade can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8Ky-crc-jE&feature=youtu.be

“This trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of these students,” said Fairchild, who is also an enlisted Tech Sergeant in the Air National Guard Band of the South. “Not only did they learn about what happened at Pearl Harbor 75 years ago and how it influenced the outcome of World War II, but they had the opportunity to join other school marching bands from across the country, Hawaiian bands, military units, local officials and dignitaries to honor the fallen and pay tribute to past and present service men and women.”

The annual Waikiki Holiday Parade was created in 1998 to commemorate Pearl Harbor Survivors and the anniversary of the attack. Music students from the U.S. mainland are invited to participate in order to learn more about U.S. history as well as the Polynesian culture. For nearly 20 years, the parade has ushered in the holiday season for local residents, who line the parade route by the thousands and also enjoy a week of events and performances on the Island of Oahu. Lakeside High School has appeared in this invitational parade twice, first in 2013. They are anticipating attending again in 2019 or 2020.

Free Public Concerts Dec. 8-9

Over 500 Lakeside music students will perform free concerts for the public next week. On Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m., the students will offer their 14th annual Holiday Pops Concert featuring the Chorus, Orchestra and Band. The event will take place in the Lakeside High School Gym. On Friday, Dec. 9, the senior music students from Lakeside’s Orchestra, Chorus and Band will perform holiday classics, including Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, with guest conductor Emily Floyd. The free performance will be held at 7 p.m. in the Lakeside Fine Arts Building, 3801 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30345.