The following is the text of Scott Fikse’s farewell address to the congregation. I was secretly thrilled that he included my name! I give thanks to God for leading me and Marcus on a path that brought us to all of you. I’ve told this story to many of you, but when Marcus graduated from… Read More Scott’s farewell
Yesterday I attended the spring benefit event, Kupu A‘e 2019, for the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus at the Dole Cannery, which included a buffet lunch, silent auction and entertainment by the HYOC and guests. The Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus is Hawaii’s oldest and most advanced community youth choir, offering a full spectrum of music education… Read More 58 years of teaching kids
Heart wrenching . . . if I had to describe yesterday’s funeral for Denise Dusenberry Ortal-Ballaibe, that’s what I’d say. I would also call it tragic—Denise died on December 15, 2016 at the age of 54 from ovarian cancer—too young and too soon. She was a long-time member of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu—from 1987… Read More Heart wrenching
I am a hopeless political junkie and we are once again in one of my favorite news cycles —a presidential campaign. I just love the debates, the polls, and the talk shows. And of course there’s a lot of talk about blue states and red states, liberals and conservatives, progressives and establishment. But this weekend, blue and red will… Read More Blue and red
Last night I hosted a dinner party for Scott Fikse, the new Director of Music and Liturgy at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, his spouse Marcus, Randy and Jeanne Castello, and their daughter, Marisa. It’s “what Carl Crosier would have done,” to show aloha for his successor at the church. Randy has been in the… Read More WWCD – What would Carl do?
Last fall, I mentioned that there would be a gathering of Carl Crosier’s relatives and friends in the Northwest sometime in the spring. And that day turned out to be Saturday, May 9th at Chez Hallock, as Peter Hallock’s former home is still called. When Peter was in hospice care, Mel Butler (his successor at… Read More Carl Crosier Fête
Today was the day that the Lutheran Church of Honolulu celebrated my 35 years as organist — and the most amazing thing was that the rain held off until AFTER the party was over! It was so nice to see so many familiar faces, friends, colleagues and even some people from the distant past. One… Read More It was Kathy Day!
Over the years, many LCH children have been involved in the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus to further their music education. Naomi Castro, Karyn Castro, Marisa Castello, Elizabeth Pearson, and Joseph Pearson are some of the names which come to mind. Hilary Scherer (whose mom, Ulrike Scherer, sings alto in the LCH Choir) was also an… Read More Music education through performance
Last night, Carl and I watched one of our favorite local PBS programs, “Long Story Short,” with host Leslie Wilcox. I was very happy to see that the guest was local choral conductor, Nola Nahulu. You can replay the interview or read a transcript by clicking here. Wilcox begins by saying “Choral music plays a… Read More The role of the choral conductor