A clarinet player from Wisconsin that studied under the principal clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony, Earl Christoph joined the army and ended up in Hawai‘i during a stopover en route to China. He ended up staying and becoming the band director of Farrington High School. This position eventually led to his nomination as bandmaster of the Royal Hawaiian Band. As bandmaster, he ensured that sections of the band's concerts were dedicated to Hawaiian music as the public complained that Hawaiian music was being pushed out of the program.