Special Edition: He Makana O Nā Mele Newsletter, January 2023 by Hawaii Youth Symphony

Let’s Make Music A Right

STUDENT FEATURE BRODY NAKASONE

Hawaii Youth Symphony provides additional opportunities for students to engage and improve their existing skills. As a sophomore at Iolani School, Brody Nakasone joined the HYS Jazz Advanced Contemporary Ensemble (ACE) to explore a new genre of music, as most of his prior experience on the electric bass has been in rock. Comprised of instruments including electric guitar and bass, upright bass, drum set, keyboard, trumpet, trombone and saxophone, the ACE gives students a chance to ﬁnd their groove through specialized instruction that promotes creativity and individual expression.

Recalling his experience participating in Nā Mele 2022, Nakasone said, “It was an extremely special opportunity for me to play with such amazing musicians. It was very fun and stressful, but I think it came out great.”

In addition to ACE, HYS also offers a beginning and intermediate Jazz program to ensure growth at every level. Led by talented musicians Dean Taba, Noel Okimoto and Ryan Howe, HYS Jazz uses the complex harmonies, syncopated rhythms and improvisation of the popular genre to teach students about adaptability and teamwork while fostering a greater passion for music overall.

“HYS expanded my knowledge and experience in music. Playing in HYS has made me more disciplined and mindful of working in both musical and non-musical groups,” said Nakasone. “It has been very rewarding, giving me inspiration to keep playing and new goals to practice for.”

STUDENT FEATURE DENA BRENNAN

Upon entering high school at Le Jardin Academy in 2020, Dena Brennan joined Hawaii Youth Symphony’s online HYS+ and Jazz+ programs to develop her skills as a ﬂautist and supplement her at-home learning. Since then, she has participated in the organization’s in-person Symphony and Jazz programs, Paciﬁc Music Institute and Nā Mele. Through these engagements with HYS, Dena has had the opportunity to express herself, learn and play with clinicians and musicians from around the world, and meet new friends with a similar passion for music.

“I loved participating in Nā Mele. I feel like I got to represent HYS as a whole, sharing my unique experience participating in both the Symphony and Jazz programs,” said Brennan. “Participating in HYS programs like Nā Mele has given me a fantastic understanding of what playing in an orchestra environment is like. It’s such a tight community that really allows me to connect with all the conductors and musicians.”

Like many of our students, Brennan comes from a smaller school with a limited number of music programs. HYS provides additional opportunities to ensure she has all the necessary instruction and support to become the best musician she can be.

Brennan added, “I love that I get to improvise and adapt with all these different programs and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to express my sound and express who I am.”

EDITION

NĀ

NEWSLETTER

SPECIAL

MELE

JANUARY 2023

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Board Members’ Take

It was an honor and a pleasure sharing 2022’s virtual He Makana O Nā Mele: The Gift of Music with you. Produced with Hawaii News Now, this program marked the third televised installment of our gala in what has become an epic pivot for our organization!

After two years of navigating gathering restrictions, I am proud that we were ﬁnally able to deliver the sound of a full symphony orchestra to you. In this newsletter, you’ll read about the many hands and minds it took to produce this year’s show, our Music in the Clubhouse program and HYS’s impact on the lives of two students featured in the show.

Through Nā Mele 2022, we were able to share our mission and vision with nearly 100,000 viewers across the nation and beyond, with audiences spanning from Japan to the Netherlands. The show also performed extremely well locally, ranking in the top ﬁve local programs aired on KFVE in December. Nā Mele’s evolution has furthered our connections with students in Hawaii’s sister cities across Japan—and together with ukulele virtuoso and HYS Board Member, Jake Shimabukuro, celebrates the universal language of music. With the help of amazing partners, this televised special has allowed us to signiﬁcantly expand our reach while giving our students an opportunity to perform for the world.

If you believe in the transformative power that music has for bringing together young people from all walks of life, please join us in our aspiration and vision to Make Music A Right so that every child has the opportunity to learn an instrument. And ﬁnally, congratulations to our young performers! You make us proud!

– RANDY WONG

HYS Board Members and He Makana O Nā Mele Event Co-Chairs Erica Mau-Schank and Collin Hoo provide their perspective on the annual performance fundraiser and importance of the HYS vision to Make Music a Right.

ERICA MAU-SCHANK CEO, Vibe Creative Marketing 2007 HYS

Alumna

“Nā Mele is an amazing opportunity for us to share the story of our organization and what our vision means to us. It has greatly evolved over the last three years as we went from the ballroom to your living room, adapting our format through the pandemic, to grow the reach of our mission and our story.

Music education is as powerful and transformative for keiki as playing sports or ﬁnding any kind of passion. Yet, the barriers to entry can be higher—from the cost of instrument rentals to the availability of quality teachers and programs. It is important to provide access so every keiki in our state has the potential to ﬁnd their passion through music.

As an alumna of the organization, I hold our mission close to my heart. Music education and HYS afforded me many opportunities growing up, and I’d like to provide those same opportunities to other keiki across Hawaii.”

COLLIN HOO VP of Portfolio Management, Trinity Investments

“Nā Mele goes a long way in supporting HYS’s mission by spreading awareness about and garnering interest in our organization. We have multiple programs and events running throughout the year with many people involved, but Nā Mele is the culmination of everything we do and our biggest chance every year to showcase all of our wonderful students and staff.

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve had to transform Nā Mele from an inperson gala to a one-hour, televised event. While the virtual Nā Mele does not have all of the components of the in-person event, in many ways, the televised format allows us to better showcase our students and the diversity of our programming, not to mention reach a much broader audience.

Music making can play a fundamental role in a child’s development, fostering creativity, intellect, teamwork and perseverance. I believe that all children should have access to music education if they seek it regardless of socioeconomic factors. Making music is a basic human right that no one should be deprived of.

I became involved with HYS because I know where the organization started and believe in where it is headed. I support HYS because I want every child in Hawaii to have the same access to music education as I did growing up. Music transformed me and was pivotal in shaping the person I am today.”

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Patti Look

Vice Chair Sharon R. Himeno

Secretary Erica Mau-Schank

Treasurer Mary Ellen Williams

Directors

Alan Arizumi

Lorrin Hirano

Collin Hoo

Martin Hsia

David Imanaka

Richard K. Ing

Malcolm Lau

Michael Onofrietti

Aaron J. Salā

Geoffrey S. Sewell, M.D.

Jake Shimabukuro

Jean Tsukamoto

Lauren Yoo

PRESIDENT & CEO, RANDY WONG ADMINISTRATION

Asst. Operations Managers Nate Chang

Programs Manager Hannah Watanabe

Receptionist Brent Ramos

Development Coordinator Cyrinthia Richards

SYMPHONY PROGRAM

Wayne Fanning, Conductor (CO)

Elton Masaki, Conductor (YSII)

Susan Ochi-Onishi, Conductor (YSII)

Joseph Stepec, Director & Conductor (YSI)

Hannah Watanabe, Conductor (CO)

ACADEMY STRING PROGRAM

Michael Lim, Conductor (BSE & SOE)

Brent Ramos, Coordinator

Chad Uyehara, Director & Conductor (ISE & CSO)

JAZZ PROGRAM

Ryan Howe, Conductor

Noel Okimoto, Conductor

Dean Taba, Director

PACIFIC MUSIC INSTITUTE

Kassi Hatakenaka, Admissions Coordinator

Ignace Jang, Solo & String Quartet

Jeremy Lawi, General Manager

Joseph Stepec, Artistic Director

Dean Taba, Jazz

MUSIC IN THE CLUBHOUSE & COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

Chris Cabrera, Palolo Percussion Ensemble & Music4Kids

Yuseon Nam, Nanakuli Violin Class

Laurie Shimabukuro, Super Strings

Mahalo to our Guest Artists!

We were incredibly fortunate to have the talents of professional musicians, Raiatea Helm, Ignace (Iggy) Jang and Ginny Tiu grace the virtual Nā Mele 2022 gala. The opportunity to play with artists of their caliber has been a transformational experience for many of our students, and we are thrilled to have been able to share a sense of this magic with audiences across Hawaii and the world.

Raiatea Helm is musically trained in the style of “leo ki‘eki‘e” (female falsetto) and is currently working towards creating a university degree in Musicology with an emphasis on Hawaiian music, language and culture. She is the recipient of many prestigious awards including two Grammy nominations, six Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards and a Native Arts & Cultures Fellowship.

Ginny Tiu started playing the piano at three years old. She has performed throughout the world including at Carnegie Hall, before President Kennedy and President Bush, and was featured in a ﬁlm with Elvis Presley at eight years old. She is an active member on the Board of the Hawaiian Humane Society, Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, UH Board of Trustees, Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Cameron Kravitt Foundation.

Ignace (Iggy) Jang was born to Korean parents in Grenoble, France, and received training from Flora Elphege and Gerard Poulet at the Paris Conservatory. He currently serves as conccertmaster of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and as Director of the Paciﬁc Music Institute Solo & String Quartet program. His playing has received praise worldwide for his excellent style, impressive musicianship and beautiful timbre.

Marketing Our Nā Mele TV Special

Each year, our partners at Vibe Creative Marketing plan a special digital marketing campaign for Nā Mele. Vibe truly understands our mission and is able to tell our story in an exciting and engaging way that motivates people to watch the program. The campaign integrates channels like social media, online advertising and email marketing, which work together and allow us to connect with our audience.

“We love collaborating with organizations like HYS,” said Vibe’s Business Development and Account Manager Jessica Nelson. “It’s rewarding to work on a campaign that helps them meet their fundraising and viewership goals for the event.”

As Nā Mele has evolved over the last few years, so has the marketing. New initiatives like bilingual ads and videos that tell the stories of our alumni and students have been integral in illustrating what we do at HYS.

“Creativity is exciting—especially when we can use it to promote the incredible mission and vision of HYS,” said Account Manager Ayari Tochika

Strings Program

Making Music in the Clubhouse

One of Hawaii Youth Symphony’s top priorities is improving access to quality music education, especially for students in underserved areas like Oahu’s neighbor islands and rural towns. A partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii provides enriching opportunities for keiki to learn how to sing, play and read music through low-cost, entry-level classes at the Nanakuli YET and Spalding Clubhouses.

In this year’s He Makana O Nā Mele, we were proud to share with you a special performance from our students along the Waianae-Nanakuli coast. Throughout the HYS season, keiki ages seven to nine and 10 to 12 years old participated in the Music In The Clubhouse (MITCH) Strings program on Oahu’s west side. The program consisted of weekly violin classes with Dr. Yuseon Nam, where students learned about beginning violin techniques, reading music, ensemble skills and basic instrument care.

In their rendition of “Alu Like,” written by Haunani Apoliona in 1979, the students were able to experience playing both older and newer styles of music, incorporating singing, ukulele and their newfound skills on the violin.

Through the generosity of private foundations and public support, all musical instruments, supplies and sheet music are provided to MITCH participants free of charge. One of the key sources of funding that has helped to seed the program comes from Carnegie Hall’s PlayUSA

grant, supporting organizations that offer equitable music education programs to students. This partnership combined with the ongoing generous support of our community ensures every child has the chance to play and learn about music—regardless of ﬁnancial or geographic limitations.

Change-Making Support

A special thank you to our donors, collaborators, and guest performers, who have contributed their time, funds, talent and other resources to provide this incredible opportunity for our students to experience and share the gift of music. Their support has been paramount to the program and our students’ success.

In addition to our sponsors, mahalo to:

• Hawaii News Now

• Duane Padilla

• Piano Planet and S&S Piano Movers

• Mark Nakamura

• Geoffrey Siu

• MW Restaurant

• Hybrid Design HI

• Berad Studios

• HYS Parents and Volunteers

• The many venues that graciously opened their space to us—Blue Note Hawaii, Mission Memorial Auditorium on the Frank Fasi Civic Grounds, Waikiki Shell—and to the City of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii

Nānākuli

Insights with Maestro Joe Stepec & Michael-Thomas Foumai

Insights with MAESTRO JOE STEPEC

When the pandemic began, HYS quickly pivoted from an in-person Nā Mele concert fundraiser to an hour-long TV special, home dinner and online auction. As Hawaii Youth Symphony’s Director of Orchestral Activities and conductor for Youth Symphony I, Joseph Stepec has witnessed the evolution and impact of Nā Mele.

“In 2020, we produced an extraordinary show featuring an 80-piece orchestra that was recorded piece by piece in groups of four. In 2021, COVID-19 was still prevalent in our communities and Nā Mele once again had to be ﬁlmed little by little,” shares Stepec. “Although many were blown away by the magic of technology and inspired by the passion and dedication of all the students featured, there’s nothing quite like hearing and seeing an orchestra perform in its entirety.”

Fortunately, in 2022, HYS ﬁnally had the opportunity to record performances with the full orchestra and ensembles from our jazz and various string programs at iconic venues across Oahu. The result was a remarkable show—one that truly represents HYS as a whole.

[HYS] has really evolved throughout the years and endured throughout the pandemic. We’re lucky because what feeds that resilience is the musicianship and the excellence of our students.

– Joe Stepec

“We recorded the full orchestra at the Waikiki Shell, a historic venue where Leonard Bernstein has conducted and Leonard Cohen and Hawaii Symphony have performed. It’s quite an extraordinary place to be. [HYS] has really evolved throughout the years and endured throughout the pandemic. We’re lucky because what feeds that resilience is the musicianship and the excellence of our students.”

Mahalo to Our Sponsors!

Insights with MICHAEL-THOMAS FOUMAI 2005 HYS Alumnus

“HYS students always inspire me with their ability to go beyond the music and embody music as citizens and ambassadors,” said Michael-Thomas Foumai, director of artistic engagement and ﬁrst composer in residence for the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. “They rise to challenges and conquer them with a tenacious spirit of excellence, advocating to our community, locally and internationally, that music is a right.”

Having arranged the music for all three Nā Mele televised productions, including this year’s performances of “Over the Rainbow,” “ʻAhulili” and “Impossible Dream”, Foumai understands just how capable the students of HYS are. He believes the organization brings together musicians to form a community, state-wide in scope, that builds a musical ethic that extends far beyond music to create a haven for artistic growth to perform with one unifying voice under the tutelage of leading local/national music professionals.

Music changed my life and it continues to daily. It has gifted genuinely wonderful people into my life, lifelong teachers, friends, and colleagues who have become my ohana.

– Michael-Thomas Foumai

Foumai ﬁrst encountered music through the movies, which ignited his imagination to tell stories and creatively communicate. Learning to perform also opened many doors for self-improvement, experiences in leadership, public speaking, networking, and taking ownership and pride in his kuleana.

“Composing music has allowed me to further my education, venture to distant shores and countries, and return home with perspective, place, and identity. Today, music gives me a clarity of purpose to serve my community, push for the representation of Paciﬁc artists, composers and stories, and wield music’s gift to educate and connect.”

Avalon Group

Becker Communications, Inc.