The very colorful Na Koa Ali’l Hawaii All State Marching Band appeared in the the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2019. This is the fourth Rose Parade appearance for the 400-member group; the other three appearances were in 2003, 2009, and 2014. This unique marching band, which is comprised of members from 44 public and private schools from all over the state of Hawaii, was founded in 2002 by Band Director John Riggle, now Director Emeritus of Kailua High School and Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus. .

John, a California native, attended San Jose State University in San Jose, California, where he earned both his Bachelor’s degree and his Master’s degree in Music Education.

Following his college graduation, John inaugurated his career as a teacher and band director at Sunnyvale High School in the Fremont Union High School district in Fremont, California. He worked there from 1969  to 1977. During these years, the band flourished into one of the top-ranked marching bands of Northern California.

John relocated to Hawaii in 1977, where he became the band director for  the Kapalama Campus High School Band program of Kamehameha Schools. He worked there for 33 years. During his years there, the Kamehameha Schools Warrior Band and Color Guard became one of most renowned and successful marching bands in the country.

John retired in 2009, but returned to Kamehameha Schools as a temporary band director for the 2012-2013 school year. After that, he completed two years as a band director at Kailua High School. Recently, John retired from Hawaii Department of Education. Over the years, in addition to his classroom duties, John has also been an adjudicator, clinician, and advisor to other bands and performing groups.