Was worth driving over hundred miles to hear an exquisite musical event. The interweaving voices and exceptional blend in a carpeted church was an experience of aural beauty. I’m still in awe of what you accomplished. I’m especially happy I didn’t have to get on a plane and go to Honolulu. (Bonnie C. Burke)
Great concert! (Susan McCreary Duprey)
Lovely concert this afternoon. So happy LCHT (Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity) was able to be the venue. (Daniel Mahraun)
We had another very attentive and enthusiastic crowd at the Early Music Hawaii Chamber Singers’ concert yesterday at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity in Kailua-Kona, Big Island. When we first walked into the church, I was a little dismayed that there was carpeting everywhere, and heavily padded pews. “It’s what Carl would call a pillow factory!” I remarked.
Despite the dead acoustics, the heat and the humidity, the EMH gang sang beautifully, and musically, the concert went even better than last week. I was also apprehensive about playing the Roland-FP50 electronic keyboard but after trying out the church’s baby grand piano, I was glad there was an alternative! I got used to it after awhile, and decided the touch was a hybrid of an organ and a piano. It seemed pretty easy to quickly switch between the piano and harpsichord settings during the concert, all at a touch of a button.
The day for me started out at 4:30 am when I woke up to be picked up at 6:15 am for the flight to Kona with Ian Capps and Jeannette Johnson. We picked up a rental car and drove to the home of Garrett Webb, who was Early Music Hawaii’s first president and now its treasurer, where we had an EMH board meeting to recap the season and plan for next season’s events.
Garrett is a recorder player and when we arrived at his house, he was practicing. I was amazed to see his large collection of recorders and other early instruments. He is a true early music fan as you can see by the tattoo on his upper left arm!
Then we met some of the other singers for lunch at the marina before going to the church for a rehearsal ahead of the 5:00 pm concert. I’m afraid I was feeling a little uncomfortable because I overstuffed myself!
Naomi Castro wrote: Just got back from Big Island and saying a hui hou to another season of Early Music Hawaii. I always have a great time singing with these wonderful people. In Honolulu AND Kona! Was also nice to welcome Randy Reynolds into our ‘Ohana! Till next time my friends!
Thank you to our Kona hosts, Garrett Webb and his wife, Julie, and EMH board member, Marilyn Bernhardt, plus Daniel Mahraun, music director of Holy Trinity. Thanks especially to Marilyn for providing food and drink for us after the concert, and even food for the plane ride back to Honolulu.
We had a great time and so much fun!