Of Note Newsletter (June 2015)

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage PAID Honolulu, HI Permit No. 1177

Hawaii Youth Symphony Association

1110 University Ave., #200 Honolulu, HI 96826-1598 (808) 941-9706 • www.HiYouthSymphony.org

Celebrating 50 Years of Serving Hawaii’s Youth through Music!

Hawaii Youth Symphony Newsletter Learn • Perform • Grow

June 2015

...of

NOTE

SAVE THESE DATES!

Sat., July 18, 2015, 4:30 pm String Orchestra & Jazz Band UH Orvis Auditorium; FREE

Youth Symphony II and Conductor Derrick Yamane led the show with a range of adventurous repertoire, starting with Jean Sibelius’s “Finlandia” Overture, a symphonic tone poem written at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. The piece is popular with brass players, and all of YSII’s brass did a truly outstanding job!

Sun., August 30, 2015 CO: 12:00 pm Kaimuki Middle School Cafeteria He Makana O Na Mele: The Gift of Music Fundraiser With Special Guest Artist KALAPANA & Youth Symphony I Sun., November 1, 2015, 4:30 pm Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom

We really appreciate donations of items like crafts, jewelry, small pieces of art, brownies, cookies, and snack mix, and especially love it when our supporters get involved.

Symphony Program Winter Concert Sun., Dec. 6, 2015, 4:00 pm With Special Guest, TOBY OFT, trombone CO, YSII, YSI Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall

The most popular items are music-themed! So if you have a creative spirit and want to help HYS, this may be your chance!

Academy Winter Concert Sat., December 12, 2015, 2:00 pm Kaimuki High School Auditorium

Non-perishable Country Store items may be brought to the HYS office, now through Friday, October 30, 2015.

Please contact us at (808) 941-9706 or email Admin@HiYouthSymphony.org if you have any questions.

Mahalo for your support!

N

early 700 people were in attendance at the 2015 Aloha Concert Luncheon—the final performance of the season for Youth Symphony I, II, and our 49 member senior class! The concert was held on Sunday, May 17 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom, and featured appearances by legendary Hawaiian entertainer, Robert Cazimero and news personality Ben Gutierrez.

Family Orientation Meetings Fri., August 14, 2015 YSII: 6:30 pm • YSI: 7:30 pm UH Orvis Auditorium

Our next Country Store will be at our Na Mele Fundraiser on Sunday, November 1, 2015.

Superb Season Finale at Aloha Concert Luncheon!

Pacific Music Institute Concerts Fri., July 17, 2015, 6:00 pm Student Chamber Music Ensembles UH Orvis Auditorium; FREE

Sun., July 19, 2015, 5:00 pm Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Combined Finale Orchestra Pearl City Cultural Center; FREE

Calling All Crafters, Bakers, and Artists!

Celebrating 50 Years of Serving Hawaii’s Youth Through Music

YSI Spring Concert Fri., April 8, 2016, 7:30 pm Blaisdell Concert Hall Please check our website for updates and more information!

HAWAII YOUTH SYMPHONY 1110 University Ave. Suite 200 Honolulu, HI 96826-1598 Office Open 9-5, Monday to Friday (808) 941-9706 • HiYouthSymphony.org

YSII’s program also explored music of Japan. Conductor Elton Masaki conducted music from the popular film “Departures,” and guest conductor Hannah Watanabe conducted a very special piece, “Mado Kara Mieru,” which was sung by five members of the orchestra (Julie Chai, Crystal Lee, Tiffany Nakayama, Alyssa Reyes, Matthew Sahara), and accompanied on Taiko drums by brothers Chance & Given Yagi. Robert Cazimero sang “My Sweet Pikake Lei,” which was an incredible chicken-skin moment that was made possible, in part, by a delicate string arrangement composed by Matt Cadirao for YSII. On the second half, Maestro Henry Miyamura led Youth Symphony I in a very creative program, that befit this year’s orchestra. Highlights included selections from Fiddler on the Roof, featuring concertmaster Brent Ramos, a Moanalua High School senior; “Danse Bacchanale” from Camille Saint-Saens’ grand opera Samson et Delilah, featuring oboist Ryan Nakazaki and belly dancer Malia Delapenia; excerpts from Zampa Overture conducted by cellist Kahler Suzuki. The audience was absolutely captivated by Robert Cazimero’s songs “Pua Hone,” “He Mana‘o Aloha,” (both of which were orchestrated by Dale Senaga for YSI) and “Destiny” (orchestrated by Jack deMello).

The program was the perfect way to end the season. Congratulations, students, on a job done well! ♫

CO’s Community Concert Was Awesome!

C

oncert Orchestra, HYS’s entrylevel symphony orchestra, performed at the new Ala Moana CenterStage on March 1. The concert was CO’s third of four concerts they performed this season.

T

his year, Concert Orchestra was made up of 99 students in grades 6-12. Conductors Susan Ochi-Onishi and Hannah Watanabe brought to life music representing many different places—from France to Southern California, and from Egypt to whimsical places like a pirate ship and even Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory! ♫

June 2015 • Page 2

HYS: Serving Hawaii’s Youth Through Music for 50 Years

Letter from the Executive Director Aloha HYS Friends!

Thank you very much for a very enjoyable and memorable 50th Anniversary Season! We accomplished a lot together this past year, and from my perspective, HYS has a lot to be thankful for.

H

YS’s annual fundraiser, He Makana O Na Mele: The Gift of Music will be held on Sunday, November 1, at Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Coral Ballroom. Joining Youth Symphony I will be the legendary group, Kalapana!

Sign Up for Pacific Music Institute 2015!

L

ooking for something musical in July? HYS is now accepting applications for our annual summer program, the Pacific Music Institute. The institute is a ten day, intensive program for students 8th grade and up who want to “up their game” and take their music-making to the next level. The program runs July 10-19 and takes place mostly at the University of Hawaii-Manoa Music Department. HYS enlists nearly two dozen professional musicians and music teachers to staff the program; many of whom are alumni of HYS/PMI themselves. ♫

Kalapana emerged as one of the most popular bands on the Hawaiian music scene in the 70s, producing a steady stream of hits. Their 1975 debut album was hailed as one of the best of the mid-70s Hawaiian renaissance. Tracks like “Naturally,” “Nightbird,” “The Hurt,” “You Make It Hard,” and “When the Morning Comes” became household tunes and still enjoy frequent play on contemporary Hawaiian radio.

♪♪ This year, we had one of our largest enrollments—ever! YSI had 101 students, and most of our other orchestras were at capacity as well.

It’s so awesome to see the level of interest and enthusiasm our students have for orchestral music.

CO cellists in their semiannual workshop

Musical trends have come and gone, but Kalapana’s many hits have remained Island classics. Kalapana still stands as a symbol of inspiration for contemporary Hawaiian music today.

♪♪ It was exciting to present enormously talented guest artists with our youth. This season we collaborated with slackkey guitarist Makana; pianists Shiori Kuwahara & Keri Hui (both winners of the Aloha International Piano Festival); the phenomenal performers Iggy Jang and Conrad Tao; and one of the most recognizable voices in Hawaiian music, Robert Cazimero. Not to be outdone, our youth rose magnanimously to every occasion and every guest artist was impressed with their preparedness and musicianship. ♪♪ We also welcomed many alumni back to HYS! Bryce Nakaoka, now 3rd Horn in the United States Coast Guard Band, gave a master class in October. Several alums, led by trumpeter Stanton Haugen, performed in a Dixieland-style band at our fundraiser. And nearly 40 alums representing classes from 1965 to 2014 joined YSI to perform “Summon the Heroes” at our 50th Anniversary Spring Concert! ♪♪ A new strategic plan, to guide us from 2015/16 to 2019/20, was crafted this year and recently approved by our board. We are excited about the momentum that HYS has, and look forward to continuing serving Hawaii’s youth through music as best we can.

None of this would be possible without YOU. I am grateful to all of you who support HYS throughout the year. You give HYS the vitality required for us to keep doing what we need.

My thanks especially to our dedicated concert parent volunteers, whom assist HYS at every rehearsal and concert, and to Les Murata and his volunteer crew, who do the hardest work of all.

Mahalo again for making HYS a very special organization to be part of. Now… on to Season 51!

HYS programs are supported by the City & County of Honolulu and the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Hawai‘i State Legislature.

Executive Director & HYS ‘99

Save the Date (Nov. 1) for Na Mele: The Gift of Music!

June 2015 • Page 5

HYS: Serving Hawaii’s Youth Through Music for 50 Years

Conrad Tao & Board VP Les Murata

Wayne Fanning conducting Clubhouse Band

YSI clarinets @ Spring Concert

If you’re a fan of Kalapana’s music, you will surely want to see them with Youth Symphony I. Please save the date for this extraordinary event! ♫

Like to Shop? Support HYS with AmazonSmile!

YSI Tuba Section at Maui Community Concert

Rachel Kasashima, YSI Percussionist

A

mazon has created an easy way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you.

When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you get the same low prices and selection as you normally do, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charity. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. You can even use your existing Amazon account, Wish List, Shopping Cart, and other account settings!

For more information, visit https://smile.amazon.com/about ... and don’t forget to search for Hawaii Youth Symphony! ♫

YSII Percussionists a Big Hit!

P

ercussionists Mizuki Hamaguchi, Marsha Ho, Kariza Nolasco, and Raistlin Ramos performed the first movement of “Millennium Bug,” a piece for percussion ensemble, at the YSII Spring Concert. The work, scored for vibraphone, marimba, bongos, tom-tom, and cymbals, provided a striking (pun intended) contrast to other music on the program. HYS alumnus Jeremy Lawi coached the ensemble. Great job, YSII percussionists! ♫

CO Concert Parents Lori Kam, Laura Yamamoto, & Wes Yoshida

The best part of a concert?

Making your conductor smile!

YSII Conductors Elton Masaki (left) & Derrick Yamane (right) with concertmaster Alex Kobayashi

Academy String Program violinists

YSI’s Community Service Trip to Maui Was A Blast!

H

YS’s annual community service tour brought YSI back to Maui! The trip revolved around three concerts at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

Punahou senior Yun Chang performed the solo part to George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and King Kekaulike senior Kisa Uradomo performed the solo part to Leonard Bernstein’s “One Hand, One Heart” from West Side Story.

A special treat was seeing Maui High School band director Kerry Wasano’s acclaimed color guards, who dazzled audiences with their colorful flags, to the tune of “Thunderer March.”

Esteemed band director Lance Jo also guest conducted!

The concerts were attended by over 2,000 people, and were made possible, in part, by grants from the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and Arts, the Bill Healy Foundation, and Friends of Hawaii Charities. ♫

Henry Miyamura & Maui High School band director, Kerry Wasano

Jean & Kent Tsukamoto, Randy Wong, Patti Look

HYS: Serving Hawaii’s Youth Through Music for 50 Years

June 2015 • Page 3

Alumni, Guest Artists Make 50th Anniversary Extra Special

H

YS’s 50th Anniversary Spring Community Concerts, sponsored by First Hawaiian Bank, were simply incredible! Three concerts made up the concert series, which spanned the month of April.

Youth Symphony I began the anniversary celebration at Blaisdell Concert Hall on April 12, 2015. The program included two works by American composer George Gershwin, Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy, Selections from Man of La Mancha, and music of John Williams.

Hawaii Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Iggy Jang stunned audiences with his flashy, virtuosic Sarasate performance. Local band directors Dennis Kaneshiro (Kalani High School), Arnold Alconcel (Castle High School), and Chad Kamei (Pearl City High School) joined YSI on saxophone for Gershwin’s An American in Paris. World-class pianist Conrad Tao, just 20 years old and already internationally acclaimed, performed the solo part to Rhapsody in Blue— and gave an awe-inspiring masterclass the day before!

Later in the month, the Academy String Program was also treated to a special guest. Steven Casano added a wonderful color with his shakuhachi playing on “Amadare (Raindrops).”

Concert String Orchestra, conducted by Chad Uyehara, provided a lush backdrop to Casano’s shakuhachi.

Mahalo to our 50th Anniversary Committee (Jean Tsukamoto, Patti Look, Roy King, Chris Yuen, Nathan Hokama, Laurie LaGrange, and Henry Miyamura), our Board of Directors, and our concert parents (Lance Uchida & Jan Watanabe) for all of their efforts in making this concert, and the events leading up to it, a true success! We would also like to acknowledge First Hawaiian Bank for their INCREDIBLE support! ♫

See more photos from our 50th Anniversary Spring Concert Series online at our Facebook page: Facebook.com/HawaiiYouthSymphony or visit our website, HiYouthSymphony.org

Nearly forty alumni joined YSI on stage to perform John Williams’ Summon the Heroes

June 2015 • Page 4

HYS: Serving Hawaii’s Youth Through Music for 50 Years

New Grant Received!

Hawaii Youth Symphony recently received a $15,000 grant from the Al Sherman Foundation.

String Orchestra Ensemble bassists on their way to rehearsal at the Boys & Girls Club Spalding Clubhouse. (Photo: Dean Taba)

Increased Interest for Strings, Band, & General Music

2

014-15 saw an increase in enrollment for our Academy Strings & Music in the Clubhouse programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, and we’re hoping that momentum will continue next year!

Alums Joan Doike, Chad Uyehara, & Wayne Fanning will conduct the string and band classes, respectively, and general music will be taught by Joy Waikoloa.

Registration for next season’s classes begins in August. ♫

The Al Sherman Foundation finds musical education to be very important for all children, regardless of financial standing, and this grant will be used to help HYS sustain its programming. “We know how much music helps kids succeed in school,” says foundation administrator Chari Sherman, “and we appreciate Hawaii Youth Symphony’s dedication to children and their musical education.” Mahalo, Al Sherman Foundation! ♫

Upcoming Concert Preview Winter Concert to feature trombone soloist! ou won’t want to miss the Symphony Program Winter Concert on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015. We are very excited to be presenting Toby Oft, Principal Trombone of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, with Youth Symphony I & II. Not only is Mr. Oft one of the very best trombonists of our time, but he also has some Hawaii ties... back in the ‘90s, he attended our Pacific Music Institute with his high school band director, Chuck Bolton!

Y

O

ft has performed throughout Europe and the U.S. with such notable orchestras as the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

He is on faculty at New England Conservatory. Stay tuned for more details about this special concert! ♫

Derrick Yamane conducting YSII and Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus at Kawaiahao Church. What a grandiose sound!

Watch Our Video!

Take 2 Production did an excellent job creating a short video that showcases our programs and community services. If you haven’t already seen it, watch it at our website, HiYouthSymphony.org/Video2014. Mahalo to Natalie Pawluk, Kisa & Lylas Uradomo, Jean Tsukamoto, Jeffrey Hayashi, Brent Ramos, Derrick Yamane, Henry Miyamura, and Jake Shimabukuro for sharing their insights on the value of HYS. ♫ MAHALO, MAUI TRIP VOLUNTEERS & STAFF! Front Row: Lance & Mel Uchida, Annie Chen, Bob Hayashi, Gary Hirokane, Les Murata Middle Row: Janet Morita, Jan Watanabe, Ann Doike, Jennifer Loui, Becky Montgomery, Meredith Prescott, Helen Liu, Tom Shigeta Back Row: Frances Hokama, Ivan Morita, Lylas Uradomo, Elton Masaki, Esther Sewell, Derek Loui, David Yee, Randy Wong, Delbert Nakaoka, Jerry Kushiyama, Lloyd Nakamaejo, Calvin Kasashima.

Not Pictured: Geoff Sewell, Henry Miyamura, Elizabeth Coraggio