I have to admit, I went to last night’s choral concert, “Hawai’i’s Choral Legacy” with a sense of obligation rather than just wanting to go. But I ended up completely impressed with both of the featured choral groups, The Purduettes from Purdue University and Na Wai, a local choir in residence at the University of Hawai’i. Both choirs were all women—and conducted by male directors!

I really didn’t know what to expect and my first impression of the Purdue group was that it was HUGE—I guessed about 75-80 college age women-—and that translated into a massive wall of sound. With them at times singing full voice I whipped out the decibel meter on my phone which briefly touched 86 decibels!

Here’s what I found on the internet: Long Term Exposure To Noise Over 85 dB Can Cause Hearing Loss. No more than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure to 100 decibels is recommended. Long-term exposure to 80-85 decibels or over can cause hearing loss.

Although the music of the choir I would classify as more pop or gospel, I have to admit that the performance was very well done. I had forgotten to print out a sheet with the QR code for the program, but it was just as well that I didn’t. Both directors announced the names of the pieces the choirs sang, which was different from what I was given for the website.

I especially liked the repertoire choices of Na Wai, which featured sophisticated and contemporary settings of traditional Hawaiian music with a much smaller group—I counted 13 women, if you count the pianist. The blend was impeccable and there was a moment when one of sopranos barely touched a high C—simply gorgeous! There was also a setting of “Ka Wailele O Nu’uanu” by Jay Kauka with an arrangement by local choral icon, Wanda Gereben. Wanda saw me in the parking lot after the concert and I assured her that Jace announced her name as the arranger. She and I worked together at St. Andrew’s Priory from 1974-1977 which was eons ago!

Nearly all of the Na Wai choir read their music from iPads.

Their director, Jace Saplan, is also the Director of Music at Central Union Church (as well as the University of Hawaii) and welcomed all of us to the concert. He was describing this whole week of concerts sponsored by the Hawaii Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and how one person was responsible for all that was happening. I expected him to call out Margaret Lloyd, who is our Chapter Dean. But then he called out my name and asked that I stand to be recognized! That was a shock to me!

The two choirs combined to sing two Hawaiian numbers and what was most curious was that the Purduettes sang all the Hawaiian from memory while the local girls read from iPads!

I’m only sorry that the crowd was a little on the slim side last night because it was a most excellent concert!

In case you missed it this morning, organist Alcee Chriss was interviewed on public radio by Gene Schiller. Click here to hear the broadcast. Alcee gave me and Jieun Kim Newland a shout-out for being exceptional local talent. Thanks, Alcee! Don’t forget his upcoming concert on Sunday, March 20th at 2:00 pm at Central Union. Meanwhile Katelyn Emerson’s Kauai concert will be livestreamed and archived on the All Saints Episcopal Church website, allsaintskauai.org. The livestream will begin on Saturday, March 19th at 6:00 pm.