Mililani High School Music

Marching Program Director

Derek Kaapana, from Waipahu, Hawaii began his music studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he received his Bachelor of Secondary Education degree in Music.  While attending the university, Derek was principal clarinetist for the Wind Ensemble and the Symphony Orchestra for several years.  He marched with, served as a member of the staff, and also became Drum Major for the UH Warrior Marching Band.  Derek received numerous recognitions for outstanding woodwind performance and performed several solo works with the UH Symphonic Band, and the Wind Ensemble both locally and nationally. 

Throughout his academic career Derek has worked with, and assisted several schools on the island. He has adjudicated for the Oahu Band Director's Association Solo and Ensemble Festival and High School Select Band, and has served as a clarinet clinician with the Hawaii Youth Symphony Association's Pacific Music Institute.  

Currently, Derek is the Director of the Mililani High School Trojan Marching Band in Mililani, Hawaii.  

Derek takes an active role in his groups and together with his staff, he designs, choreographs, techs music, visual, and movement, and runs ensemble during the field season.  He writes drill for the Indoor Percussion Ensemble, and assists as a flag tech and choreographer with the Winter Guard.  His marching band consistently receives high marks and has been the overall sweepstakes winner at several local contests.  Mililani is proud to host the Trojan Bandfest which, courtesy of OC16 is the only televised marching contest in Hawaii.  The indoor groups at Mililani, both the Indoor Percussion Ensemble and the Winter Guard have also received high marks in local events.Mililani is home to the only WGI Color Guard in Hawaii, and thanks to Guard Caption Head Susan Segawa, the group travels every other year to compete at championships in Dayton, Ohio.  Derek's most recent accomplishment was bringing his band to compete at the 2015 Bands of America Grand National Championships.  This was the first time a band from Hawaii has participated in BOA.



Derek is humbled to have had the opportunity to work with the Blue Knights in 2014 as part of their visual staff and truly honored to be able to work with the Troopers in 2017.  He strongly feels that the opportunities to work with performers at this level, and to be a part of national contests such as BOA and WGI will help him grow as an educator, and with that, help his students grow further as performers.

Color Guard Director

Susan Segawa is a graduate of Mililani High School where she was a part of the color guard under the direction of Mr. Fred Murphy.  She began working with the color guard upon graduating from MHS.  At that time Susan was attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa and was a member of the marching band.  She soon became color guard captain before pursuing her degree in law at the William Richardson School of Law at UH.  Susan continued to work with the MHS color guard and has helped the program move to the national level by competing at the Winter Guard International (WGI) championships.  During 2007-2009 Susan took a hiatus from her volunteer work with MHS and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana to perform with Onyx Winter Guard.  During her time in Indiana, she worked with Whiteland High School as the guard instructor with John Morse who was director at the time.  

Susan returned in 2009 and remains as the color guard director. In 2016, along with the Winter Guard, Susan was able to push the program to finalist level at WGI championships.  Susan currently works at the main branch of Bank of Hawaii as the Vice President of Personal Trusts.

Percussion Director

Nick Tuvera is a 2011 graduate of Mililani High School and an alumni of the Trojan Marching Band.  Soon after graduating, Nick took the drumline program and is consistently making strides to improving the quality of music and performance.  Upon graduation, Nick attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa and was a member of the Warrior Marching Band Drumline.  Since graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Nick works as a Financial Planner for Mutual of Omaha.