Chair: Patti Chair: Patti Look Look Vice Vice Chair: Chair: Sharon Sharon R. R. Himeno Himeno Secretary: Secretary: Erica Erica Mau-Schank Mau-Schank Treasurer: Mary Treasurer: Mary Ellen Ellen Williams Williams Directors: Alan Directors: Alan Arizumi, Arizumi, Lorrin Lorrin Hirano, Hirano, Collin Collin Hoo, Hoo, Martin Martin Hsia, Hsia, Esq., David Imanaka, Esq., Richard Richard K. K. Ing, Ing, Malcolm Malcolm Lau, Lau, Michael Michael Onofrietti, Onofrietti, Aaron Aaron J. J. Salā, Salā, Geoffrey Geoffrey S. S. Sewell, Sewell, M.D., M.D., Jake Jake Shimabukuro, Shimabukuro, Jean Jean Tsukamoto Tsukamoto
President, Randy Wong Pacific Music Institute
Kassi Kassi Hatakenaka, Hatakenaka, Admissions Admissions Coordinator Coordinator Ignace Ignace Jang, Jang, Solo Solo & & String String Quartet Quartet Jeremy Jeremy Lawi, Lawi, General General Manager Manager Joseph Joseph Stepec, Stepec, Artistic Artistic Director Director Dean Dean Taba, Taba, Jazz Jazz
PMI Solo & String Quartet Faculty Brady Brady Anderson, Anderson, Cello Cello Eugene Eugene Chukhlov, Chukhlov, Violin Violin Khullip Khullip Jeung, Jeung, Violin Violin Jisun Jisun Kang, Kang, Violin Violin Parry Parry Karp, Karp, Cello Cello Anne Anne Leilehua Leilehua Lanzilotti, Lanzilotti, Viola Viola Michael Michael Lim, Lim, Violin Violin Dr. Dr. Helen Helen Liu, Liu, Violin Violin Sorah Sorah Myung, Myung, Violin Violin Igor Igor Veligan, Veligan, Violin Violin Vicky Vicky Wang, Wang, Cello Cello
A Tremendous Team!
As Pacific Music Institute 2022 ends on a high note, we wish to extend a huge mahalo to the dedicated staff of Hawaii Youth Symphony and PMI. As Hawaii’s largest summer music program, PMI takes countless hours of planning and coordination throughout the whole year!
We are incredibly grateful for their commitment to providing invaluable opportunities for the young people of Hawaii and beyond.
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HYS Board of Directors
Hawaii Hawaii Youth Youth Symphony Symphony Association Association 1350 1350 S. S. King King Street, Street, Suite Suite 201 201 Honolulu, Honolulu, HI HI 96814 96814
Music Abounds SPECIAL EDITION
PACIFIC MUSIC INSTITUTE 2022: One for the Books! The Pacific Music Institute returned this July for its best summer yet! With thoughtful planning, PMI emerged with a fully in-person program for 2022. Over 270 students participated—including several from the neighbor islands and continent—surpassing pre-pandemic enrollment numbers!
World-Renowned Musicians Perform at PMI Faculty & Friends Concert The talents of the PMI 2022 faculty, comprised of acclaimed soloists, principal players, and outstanding educators, were showcased at the PMI Faculty & Friends Concert on July 22. Tickets to the concert were available to the public, with PMI students invited to attend for free.
PMI Symphony Orchestra Faculty Tim Tim Daniels, Daniels, Winds Winds Holly Holly Jenkins, Jenkins, Violin Violin Clara Clara Kim, Kim, Violin Violin Zoe Zoe Martin-Doike, Martin-Doike, Viola Viola Markus Markus Osterlund, Osterlund, Brass Brass Richard Richard Scerbo, Scerbo, NOI+F NOI+F Director Director Daniel Daniel Scoggins, Scoggins, Teaching Teaching Fellow Fellow Jordan Jordan Watt, Watt, Teaching Teaching Fellow Fellow
The week-long intensive in July was held at the spacious Hawaii Convention Center, offering Solo & String Quartet, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Intensive, and the Ukulele Workshop.
In addition to masterfully playing the music that many in the community know and love from classical to pop, the faculty also demonstrated exciting and innovative contemporary techniques, original compositions, and more for an evening of unforgettable, world-class performances across a variety of music genres. Bravo! Brava!
PMI PMI Ukulele Ukulele Workshop Workshop Students Students
Director-nominated students were also invited to participate in the PMI Middle School Honor Band. PMI’s comprehensive curriculum exposed students to a variety of learning styles including sectionals, rehearsals, masterclasses performances and more. Through these styles of teaching, participants developed technical skills, confidence, adaptability, and musicality. Students spent the week making music and friends, while developing skills that extend far beyond the rehearsal room and concert hall.
PMI Wind Ensemble Faculty
Grant Grant Okamura, Okamura, Conductor Conductor Henry Henry Fu, Fu, Conductor Conductor Christopher Christopher Cabrera, Cabrera, Percussion Percussion Alex Alex Hayashi, Hayashi, Oboe Oboe David David Hirano, Hirano, Saxophone Saxophone Aileen Aileen Kawakami, Kawakami, Flute Marie Marie Lickwar, Lickwar, French French Horn Horn Tommy Tommy Morrison, Morrison, Bassoon Bassoon Susan Susan Ochi-Onishi, Ochi-Onishi, Oboe Oboe Jahleel Jahleel Smith, Smith, Low Low Brass Brass Casey Casey Tamanaha, Tamanaha, Trumpet Trumpet Melanie Melanie Yukumoto, Yukumoto, Clarinet Clarinet
“To have PMI 2022 back to its full summer music camp experience was so special. With our range of offerings, we got to see a lot of students break out of their shells and really enjoy the creative, intensive environment at PMI that you don’t always get to experience during the school year.”
PMI Jazz Intensive Faculty Steve Treseler PMI Ukulele Workshop Faculty Kala’e Camarillo Mika Kane PMI Middle School Honor Band Wayne Fanning, Conductor Guy Lum, Conductor
SSQ SSQ Director, Director, Iggy Iggy Jang, Jang, and and Faculty Faculty Matt Matt Love Love
Mahalo to our partners at Halekulani who provided accommodations for all of our visiting PMI faculty this year!
Follow us on social media @hiyouthsymphony @pacificmusichi
SSQ SSQ Faculty Faculty Igor Igor Veligan, Veligan, Khullip Khullip Jeung, Jeung, Jisun Jisun Kang, Kang, Eugene Eugene Chukhlov Chukhlov
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PMI PMI Oboe Oboe Students Students with with Susan Susan Ochi-Onishi Ochi-Onishi
- Maestro Joseph Stepec, HYS Director of Orchestral Activities & PMI Artistic Director Maestro Maestro Joseph Joseph Stepec Stepec leads leads PMI PMI Orchestra Orchestra rehearsal rehearsal
Making music is a right, not a privilege. President’s Message Randy Wong
Community Supporters: Breaking Down Barriers
Student Opportunities: Learn & Play with the Best in the Nation In 2019, Hawaii Youth Symphony first partnered with the National Orchestral Institute + Festival (NOI+F) to create the Orchestral Learning Alliance (OLA) at the Pacific Music Institute. This collaboration brings students, faculty, and alumni of the NOI+F to Honolulu to serve as teachers and mentors to Hawaii’s young orchestral musicians.
"Music is the tool to express life and all that makes a difference." - Herbie Hancock Since last July, the dedicated staff, partners and supporters of Hawaii Youth Symphony and Pacific Music Institute have worked tirelessly to plan one of the most exceptional summer music programs that Hawaii has ever seen. We have an amazing team of individuals— musicians, teachers, administrators, event organizers, students, and donors—who make all that we do possible. I’d also like to take a moment to thank our partners, whose services allow us to focus on doing what we do best—developing youth through orchestral music. Mahalo to Hawaii News Now, Consolidated Theatres, KCCN/KINE, Vibe Creative Marketing, and Becker Communications, Inc. for helping us share how Hawaii’s students can have access to high-quality, life changing music education. In all we do, we hope to inspire young musicians to reach their full potential. Through holding programs such as Pacific Music Institute, we’ve learned that we are often equally, if not more, inspired by our students’ passion, ability, and drive. As we close the chapter on PMI 2022, I would like to say mahalo to all of our donors for their tremendous support. Your generosity made it possible for our students to have an incredible summer! Thank you and onward to PMI 2023!
Our generous donors provide funds that break down financial and geographic barriers for students, allowing them to participate in Photo Credit: Dennis Oda programs that help them to excel not only in music, but in life as well. Research has shown that youth participation in music often results in outcomes such as high attendance, high academics, high achievement and high self-awareness. Our donors help us to advance music’s role within our community, using it as a driver for social change. These wonderful contributions provided financial aid for over 40 students, representing all PMI programs. HYS was able to serve Title I schools and neighbor island communities, advance its outreach to Nanakuli and Molokai, and to provide Kama’āina discounts—so that all students were empowered to participate in PMI without financial barriers. The investment resulted in increased enrollment from other islands and allowed Middle School Honor Band members to attend the program for just $10.
PMI Teaching Fellows visited the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Nānākuli Clubhouse
“In the summer of 2021, I had the great opportunity to participate in the NOI+F as a fellow, where I received intense orchestral and musical training from some of the best professional musicians in the world. Later that summer, I was invited to help out at HYS’ Pacific Music Institute as a teaching fellow and I did not hesitate to say yes as both NOI+F and HYS have done so much for my development as a musician.” - Taiga Benito, NOI+F fellow and master’s student at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
If you’re interested in supporting Hawaii Youth Symphony, visit hiyouthsymphony.org/donate
Randy Wong, Bob Underwood, Richard Scerbo, PMI teaching fellows and Molokai students
The PMI Middle School Honor Band was made up of over 70 incoming seventh, eighth, and ninth graders, hailing from 14 schools across the state, including seven Title I schools. At its core, the Middle School Honor Band is an initiative focused on accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity, moving HYS forward in its vision to make music a right, not a privilege for youth in Hawaii and beyond. In partnership with the Oahu Band Directors Association, directors could nominate up to 10 students who demonstrate exemplary character, embodiment of school values, and technical musical ability. Thanks to our donors, this program was offered to these students for a very nominal fee. All the students in the Middle School Honor Band exhibit great potential in music, but many do not have the means to participate regularly in music intensives and programs such as PMI.
PMI Teaching Fellows, Jordan Watt (left) and Daniel Scoggins (right) visited and worked with music students on Molokai
Over the years, the partnership has expanded beyond the borders of Honolulu-based PMI. This season, HYS brought PMI teaching fellows into the communities of Molokai and Nānākuli.
The primary focus of the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation is enriching education opportunities for youth, improving the lives of others, building healthier communities, and invigorating life. “We are proud to support the Hawaii Youth Symphony as we believe an education in music plays an important role in a child’s development. Improving access to experience arts and culture firsthand for all ages is an investment that will reap benefits for generations.” - Cameron Nekota, Executive Vice President and Division Manager, First Hawaiian Bank
The University of Maryland’s NOI+F brings together aspiring orchestral musicians from across the country for a month of dynamic music-making and professional exploration. NOI+F recruits the finest young orchestral performers on the threshold of a professional career through a rigorous, cross-country audition process. Like PMI, participants work closely with faculty drawn from leading North American symphony orchestras and conservatories, gaining a strong network of musicians, teachers and supporters.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: Finding Potential, Fostering Ability
“Being able to see talent developed as a teacher is one of the greatest gifts that you get. The partnership with MIME and HYS started about six years ago, and we’ve benefitted in so many ways through the resources made available in terms of access to expert-level instruction and performances, and these opportunities for our students to participate in experiences like PMI. We have an ongoing relationship that I hope will produce more and more great results for us.” - Bob Underwood, head of the Molokai Instrumental Music Education Program
HYS Alums Awarded 2022 NOI+F Scholarships NOI+F is comprised of the nation’s top young musicians led by acclaimed conductors. One of the most recent developments in its constantly-evolving partnership with HYS is an exchange program that provides deserving HYS students an opportunity to participate in the NOI+F on a full scholarship. This year, two alumni from HYS, Joshua Vierra and Chelsea Cline, were selected from hundreds of students across the country to participate in the rigorous summer program at the University of Maryland in 2022.
“We’re not just creating an opportunity for our teaching fellows to come here to Hawaii, but for alumni of the HYS program to come and be a part of NOI+F as well, and that was really exciting for us to inaugurate this past summer. This is great progress and we’re really just getting started. We’re always exploring new ways to develop our relationship with HYS to provide Hawaii’s young musicians with the same opportunities as those throughout the continental U.S.” - Richard Scerbo, NOI+F Director
Middle School Honor Band students from different schools in Hawaii rehearsed at PMI 2022
“Hawaii hasn’t had an honor band since the pandemic started. This summer was a perfect way to build community again for all of our young students just starting their music journey. Our conductors Wayne Fanning, from Niu Valley Middle School, and Guy Lum, from Kawananakoa Middle School, did an amazing job working with the students and helping to establish human connections that have been sorely missed through this pandemic.”
- Jeremy Lawi, PMI General Manager
The Middle School Honor Band creates a path for young musicians who may not have thought a progression in music was even an option for them. It gives them a solid foundation that allows them to move up in music if they chose to do so. Once they find and grow that confidence in their playing ability, the possibilities are endless.