Pure energy and exhilaration… that’s how I would describe tonight’s Oahu Choral Society’s concert with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. I came away breathless, my heart racing with a spring in my step! The music, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, were the perfect pair of works, each with its driving rhythms yet singable… Read More Pure energy and exhilaration!
I’ve had a houseguest for a week—my good friend Joan Ishibashi, a United Church of Christ pastor, massage therapist, former Hawaii resident for 15 years, and all-around BFF (best friends forever!) Nearly five years ago my husband Carl, son Stephen and I were in Los Angeles, attending Joan’s wedding to Kantila Vaghela, where I wrote… Read More I survived an amazing weekend!
In the last four days, I have attended three concerts and gotten my chance to be an audience member. I used to remember Carl Crosier saying that as performers it was our job to make it Christmas for everyone else—now I’ve had my chance to hear someone else’s hard work. On Sunday, I was at the… Read More ‘Tis the season, part 2
How many organists does it take to change a lightbulb? This was no joke, but an actual quip when I hosted the Hawaii Chapter American Guild of Organists at my condo last night and we decided to take a group picture. I suggested that we turn up the lights, and told the group the switch… Read More How many organists…?
Last Saturday night, I attended the Oahu Choral Society’s 20th Annual “Vivace” fundraiser and was I ever surprised to find myself seated at the head table! To my immediate right was Karen Kennedy, a choral directing legend in this town, and next to her was Wanda Gereben, and next to her was Nola Nahulu of… Read More In with the bigwigs
So I bought myself this T-shirt for Christmas, and you may remember I was wearing it when I flew to Kona in November to play Messiah. Never did I ever believe what was printed on it until last night. I left my apartment and closed my door when my thirtyish next door neighbor greeted me.… Read More Living in a fantasy world
September is the traditional month for starting the school year. (However, in Hawaii, as in other locations, school has been starting earlier and earlier, and in fact started in July this summer!) September is also the month in which musical seasons begin— for example, the opening concert of Early Music Hawaii, Musica Poetica, last weekend which I… Read More Beginnings and endings
For those who live in Honolulu, but donʻt follow sports (like myself), it has been hard to ignore all the press about Marcus Mariota, this yearʻs Heisman Trophy winner from St. Louis School, a local private high school. Even I know that it is college football’s greatest honor for the most outstanding college football player of… Read More Hometown heroes
The Oahu Choral Society, with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, is presenting Bach’s monumental Mass in B Minor tomorrow night only, May 16, 2014 at 7:30 pm at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Under the direction of Esther Yoo, soloists include Youngmi Kim, Georgine Stark, Jennifer Lane, Randall Umstead, and David Dong-Geun Kim. Guess who has been contracted to play the… Read More The greatest work of all ages and all peoples
Are organists the only musicians who never know what to expect when they have to perform on their instruments? I can’t tell you the number of times I have come to the church and found something not working on the organ. There was the time I was scheduled to play Jeremiah Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary in… Read More Handicapped!