Double, triple, quadruple! – Yet Another Year of Insanity

The Thursday rehearsal was the beginning of a marathon for both singers and instrumentalists.

Last Friday night, Early Music Hawaii presented a concert called “Oratorio,” 17th century sacred drama from Rome to Handel, in the reverberant acoustics of St. Theresa’s Co-Cathedral. Some of the town’s very best early musicians participated — and the dress rehearsal with choir and orchestra was held on Thursday night. The personnel for whom this began a marathon weekend included Georgine Stark, Emily Haswell, Naomi Castro, Karol Nowicki, Keane Ishii, Allen Bauchle, Padraic Costello, singers; and Darel Stark, Maile Reeves, Steve Flanter, Karen Fujimoto, John Gallagher, instrumentalists. Carl Crosier directed the Early Music Hawaii Choir and Orchestra in its debut performance.

The next afternoon (Saturday), Georgine Stark, Emily Haswell, Naomi Castro, Karol Nowicki, Keane Ishii, singers; and Darel Stark, Maile Reeves, Steve Flanter, and John Gallagher, instrumentalists went to the dress rehearsal for the Bach Vespers at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu.

On Sunday morning, the singers all had at least one church service in the morning. Emily Haswell sang the Mozart “Laudate dominum” solo at St. Andrew’s Cathedral but before that she sang the Hawaiian service, as did Karl Nowicki and Padraic Costello. Carl also sang the 10:30 am Eucharist at the Cathedral. Naomi Castro and Keane Ishii sang at the 10:30 service at LCH.

Chamber Music concert at the Musicians Union with Darel, Maile, Steve and Karen. — Chamber Music concert at the Musicians Union with Darel Stark, Maile Reeves, Steve Flanter and Karen Fujimoto.

In the afternoon, Emily Haswell, Karol Nowicki, Allen Bauchle, Padraic Costello and Carl Crosier sang Evensong at the Cathedral, while Darel Stark, Maile Reeves, Steve Flanter and Karen Fujimoto played string quartets by Beethoven and Mendelssohn at the Musicians Union which I attended. The quartets were preceded by Samuel Barber’s Dover Beach with Georgine Stark, soprano, accompanied by strings.

Maile Reeves, Karen Fujimoto and Steve Flanter. — Maile Reeves, Karen Fujimoto and Steve Flanter after the Chamber Music concert in the afternoon.

Then in the evening, Georgine Stark, Emily Haswell, Naomi Castro, Karol Nowicki, Keane Ishii, singers; and Darel Stark, Maile Reeves, Steve Flanter, and John Gallagher, instrumentalists, all played the Vespers for St. Michael and All Angels at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. Carl and I were able to sit in the congregation, as did Allen Bauchle, who had sung two services at St. Andrew’s Cathedral earlier.

Do you see a pattern here? the same names popping up over and over? did these people have a crazy weekend or what? Not only that, but the repertoire ranged the gamut from early music to Bach to Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Samuel Barber.