If someone flies the coop, they leave the situation that they are in, often because they want to have more freedom or want to do something different—so says the dictionary.

It just happens that in the Honolulu musical community, we have a number of key people “flying the coop” — leaving Hawaii for greener pastures or for more study.

On May 11th I went to Jeremy Wong‘s recital, “With a Little Help from My Friends: An Aloha Concert.” Jeremy is bound for Germany for continued study in Lieder (Art Song) at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart. He will be sorely missed, having spent the last six years becoming firmly entrenched in the Honolulu choral music scene, having collaborated with Early Music Hawaii as conductor, soloist, and chorister. He has sung in the numerous concerts by the Oahu Choral Society, and has sung solos in many Bach cantatas with the Bach Chamber Orchestra and Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir. Jeremy also made his debut with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, singing the bass solo to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor under JoAnn Falletta; he also appeared as a member of the Carnegie Hall Chamber Chorus, performing in a joint concert with Peter Phillips’ Tallis Scholars.

Accompanied by Maika’i Nash on piano, Jeremy sang a wide variety of songs from Jules Massenet, Daniel Bayot, Robert Schumann, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown and Georges Bizet. Performing artists with Jeremy included Keahi Horowitz (cello), Kari Magaruh (soprano), Sarah Lambert Connelly (mezzo-soprano), Logan Webber (tenor) and Megann Sala (mezzo-soprano).

What was unusual about the program was that instead of a printed program with the texts, concertgoers got a single piece of paper with QR codes! I think this was the first concert ever where I downloaded a QR reader app before the concert! Smartphone required!

It was partly a way to save money on printing, but some of the texts were read before they were sung—Jeremy’s aunt, Frances Wong, read the translations of the German prior to each movement of the Liederkreis, op.39 of Schumann. Reading the translations followed by the singing made for a nice combination of poetry and music.

Next season we’ll be missing both Naomi Castro as well as her sister, Karyn Castro, as both will be away from Hawaii attending graduate school. Karyn has already spent one year away at American University in Washington, D.C., in pursuit of a master’s degree in arts administration. Naomi, as announced at the last Early Music Hawaii all-women’s concert, will be moving to Eugene, OR to study choral conducting at the University of Oregon with Dr. Sharon Paul. Luckily we had both women here for the EMH concert!

Here’s what Naomi posted on her Facebook page:

After 7 years of being at the Priory and 30 years in Hawaii, I am moving on to a new adventure. I will be pursuing a masters in Choral Conducting at the University of Oregon this fall. I’ve been awarded a full scholarship to assist with the Music Ed classes, and to study under Dr Sharon Paul. Needless to say I’m freaking excited and freaking out. I can’t possibly express the emotions I’ve been going through these last few weeks and days. I’ll save that for another post. 

But for now, it’s as good a time as any to invite you to my last spring concert with St Andrew’s Priory, this Friday at 6pm in the Cathedral of St. Andrew. I’ve titled the program Ke Ala Hou: New Beginnings. It will feature music that sings about night and dawn, conflict and resolution, love and heartbreak, young and old age, death and ascension.

I hope to see you there. Bring kleenex.

I have known Naomi her entire life—as I played for her parents’ wedding before she was even a twinkle in her father and mother’s eyes!

This Sunday, I’ll be substituting at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, and tonight I went to the choir rehearsal, directed by Karol Nowicki. Karol and his brother, Michal Nowicki, have both also been heavily involved in the choral music scene here—here’s Karol’s bio:

KAROL NOWICKI moved to O’ahu in 2012 after receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in composition from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.  Karol quickly became involved in the choral scene of Hawai’i, and since his move he has sung as a chorister and as a soloist with Hawai’i Opera Chorus, Hawai’i Vocal Arts Ensemble, St. Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, Early Music Hawai’i, O’ahu Choral Society, Han Sheng Music Association, and the Men’s Schola of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu.

In addition to singing, Karol also instructs chorus and voice classes at Kapi’olani Community College, and more recently became the music director at the Parish of St. Clement.  In fall of 2012 Karol and his brother Michał formed a Christmas Caroling group called Karol’s Karolers, an a cappella vocal ensemble that performs international repertoire.  Since its origin the group has expanded its season to include non-holiday selections, and has enjoyed many successful performances on O’ahu and on the Big Island. 

Keane Ishii, who has also been super-involved in the Honolulu choral music scene, will be moving to California. Keane was involved with the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir as a bass soloist for years, and for a time, was the director of the Compline Choir after Carl Crosier. At one time he also directed the choir at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, and now is the choral director at Makiki Christian Church. Keane has sung in many of our concerts with Early Music Hawaii, and you may recall that he and I went to the Big Island on several occasions to perform with the Kona Choral Society. He has been the Choral Director of Mililani High School, his alma mater.

Karol Nowicki and his brother, Michal (pronounced Mee-how), will be moving to Napa Valley in California with Keane, to work with Gregory Bietz in his vineyard. Greg was formerly organist at the Community Church of Honolulu, and bought a pipe organ.

The whole lot of them—Karol, Michal, Naomi, Karyn, Keane, and Greg—have been involved in a choral group called Karol’s Karolers, and with all of them just about to fly the coop, will say goodbye with a free concert on June 2 at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu.

But — wait, there’s more! After their June 2nd concert, the Karolers (which include Sarah Lambert Connelly and Scott Fikse, with whom I have performed frequently) will tour Europe — and I’ll see them again when they join the Hawaii Masterworks Chorus in their tour of Vienna, Salzburg, and Vienna!

So, it’s not goodbye — but see you later!