It seems like it’s been ages ago, but way back on December 4, 2021, I got a text message: Dan’s live concert beginning 7:30. Dan will be [in] the first 4 songs with his choir. Then there was a link to the University of Oregon’s Chamber Choir and University Singers concert.

Unfortunately, the link to the livestream concert is no longer active, and neither did I save a copy of the program PDF. However I was able to listen to the concert successfully, the second half of which was Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols.”

What was important, though, was that there were TWO students in the choir that I knew: One was my nephew, Daniel Au, and the other was Naomi Castro!

Readers of this blog are familiar with Naomi Castro who grew up at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu where my husband and I had a long tenure, but you probably don’t know the name of Daniel Au, the youngest and only son of my brother, Jim.

Daniel is now 18 years old and was interviewed on Portland’s public radio station, “On Deck with Daniel Au.” Click the link to listen to the 8-minute interview and hear a sound sample of Daniel’s solo voice.

Daniel Au is an 18-year old “bari-tenor” who is just discovering a passion for opera.  He loves performing, and this week “On Deck with Young Musicians,” Daniel tells us about some of his performance failures – and the lessons he has learned from making mistakes.

Daniel is also an accomplished pianist and composer.

I did telephone Olivia and Jimmy Castro, Naomi’s parents, that night to confirm that they too were watching the livestream and saw Naomi.

Hats off to Daniel and Naomi!