2024 Spring Concert Series

2024

Spring Concert Series Symphony Program

Sunday, April 14, 2024 ✽ Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center

Academy Program, Palolo Pākeke Ensemble, Nānākuli Strings & Super Strings Saturday, April 27, 2024 ✽ Kaimukī High School Auditorium HYS Jazz Program Saturday, May 11, 2023 ✽ Studio 909, Musicians Association of Hawai‘i

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to our community partners, whose generous support and special talents are invaluable to Hawaii Youth Symphony.

State of Hawai’i Dr. Josh Green, Governor Hawai’i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts City & County of Honolulu Rick Blangiardi, Mayor Accounting KMH LLP Evan Yamamoto, Charles Gilmour, Robert Loke Audio and Video Engineer Duane Padilla Blake Entertainment Halekulani Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra Printing Edwards Enterprises Mark Ibara, Justin You Program Design Mark Nakamura Public Relations Becker Communications Susan Wright, Taryn Wells, Laura Young Social Media Vibe Creative Marketing Erica Mau-Schank, Jessica Nelson, Alyssa Kawamura Website White Space Studios

Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii Paddy Kauhane, President & CEO Claudia “Lala” Fernandez, Executive Vice President & COO Mike Anderson, Director of Operations & Safety Danielle Trinidad (Spalding) Kekoa Tupua (Nānākuli) Kaimukī High School Jamie Dela Cruz, Principal Melissa Selgado, Office Assistant MJ Matsushita, Auditorium Manager Kaimukī Middle School Frank Fernandes, Principal Le Jardin Academy Earl Kim, Head of School Faith Butterfield, Administrative Assistant to the Primary Deans Moanalua High School Robin Martin, Principal Elden T. Seta, Music Director Rhona Barbosa, Associate Music Director Cavin Takesue, Associate Music Director Todd Oshima, Associate Music Director Jensen Ball, Auditorium Manager Landon Mauricio, Technology Coordinator

Niu Valley Middle School Laura Ahn, Principal Pālolo Elementary School Gary Harada, Principal Henrietta Clemons, Parent and Family Coordinator University of Hawai‘i Music Department Dr. Donald Womack, Chair William Watson, Facility Coordinator Jazz Program Concert Parent Volunteers Barney Brennan Wade Nobuhara Youth Symphony I Concert Parent Volunteers Amy Carlson Janet Maeshiro Wade Nobuhara Lawrence So Youth Symphony II Concert Parent Volunteers Michelle Funai Jill Kawaguchi Michele Nuibe Concert Orchestra Concert Parent Volunteers Jenna Kunihiro Roslyn Meinert Debbie Petilos

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2023–2024 Board of Directors & Staff BOARD OF DIRECTORS Erica Mau-Schank, Chair Lauren Yoo, Vice Chair Lorrin Hirano, Esq., Secretary Collin Hoo, Treasurer Directors Sharon R. Himeno Martin Hsia, Esq. David Imanaka, Esq. Richard Ing Patti Look Malcolm Lau Michael Onofrietti Aaron Salā Jake Shimabukuro Jean Tsukamoto

Hawaii Youth Symphony 1350 South King St., Suite 201 Honolulu, HI 96814 Tel. (808) 941-9706 admin@hiyouthsymphony.org www.HIYouthSymphony.org Federal Tax ID #99-0119771

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ADMINISTRATION Randy Wong, President & CEO Joseph Stepec, Director of Orchestral Activities Hannah Watanabe, Programs Director Lauren Sergent, Operations Manager Cyrinthia Decker, Development Coordinator Brent Ramos, Receptionist Veronica Cox, Music Librarian FACULTY Symphony Program Joseph Stepec, Conductor, Youth Symphony I Elton Masaki, Conductor, Youth Symphony II Susan Ochi-Onishi, Conductor, Youth Symphony II Wayne Fanning, Conductor, Concert Orchestra Academy Program Michael Lim, Conductor, String Orchestra Ensemble & Concert String Orchestra

Hannah Watanabe, Conductor, Beginning String Ensemble & Intermediate String Ensemble Brent Ramos, Academy Coordinator Jazz Program Dean Taba, Jazz Program Director Ryan Howe, Jazz Conductor Noel Okimoto, Jazz Conductor

Super Strings Program Laurie Shimabukuro, Instructor

Music in the Clubhouse Dr. Yuseon Nam, Nānākuli Strings Instructor Christopher Cabrera, Music4Kids Instructor Pālolo Pākeke Ensemble Christopher Cabrera, Instructor

Pacific Music Institute Jeremy Lawi, General Manager Joseph Stepec, Artistic Director Ignace Jang, Solo & String Quartet Program Director Richard Scerbo, Orchestral Learning Alliance Dean Taba, Jazz Intensive Director

Celebrating our 59th season!

A Message from the President

Dear HYS Families and Friends,

W

elcome to the much-anticipated Hawaii Youth Symphony Spring Concert Series! I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the all of our dedicated, young musicians whose practice and perseverance have brought us to these moments of celebration: Your commitment to cultivating personal excellence shines through in every note played, embodying the very essence of great art.

It would be remiss not to express my sincere gratitude to the faculty, staff, parents, school directors, private teachers, and families whose unwavering moral support has nurtured these students. Together, we uphold the HYS vision of a Hawaii where Music Is A Right, where every individual has the opportunity to experience the transformative power of music, and help our society to progress.

For those of you attending the Youth Symphony I performance, I am delighted that you will be part of the performance by the inaugural winner of our newly named Orvis HYS Concerto Competition. We at HYS are very grateful to the Arthur and Mae Z. Orvis Foundation for their support for this new endeavor, and for all the many ways they inspire artistic development in Hawaii.

Here’s to an unforgettable concert series filled with inspiration, joy, and the timeless magic of music.

Mahalo!

Randy Wong President & CEO • Alumnus, HYS ’99

About the Hawaii Youth Symphony

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awaii’s only state-wide music education organization, HYS serves students ages 7–18 of all skill levels and every economic background, brought together from more than 100 schools across the islands. Since 1964, the nonprofit has advanced its mission of developing youth to their fullest potential through orchestral music, offering diverse programs including general music, string and band classes, jazz, symphony orchestras, summer intensives, and more. Contributions from the celebration will go toward breaking down barriers to music education including financial hardship, access to qualified music teachers, the high cost of instruments, and expanding the reach of HYS in rural and under-resourced communities.

Among the largest youth symphony organizations in the country, HYS ensures that no interested child is turned away from a quality music education because of financial need and awards over $50,000 a year through its financial aid program. HYS also offers assistance for registration fees, instrument rentals, private lessons and air and surface travel for neighbor island students.

Team HYS is composed of more than a dozen employees and has a roster of nearly a hundred artist-faculty, all of whom are expressly dedicated to music education and its transformative opportunities for Hawaii’s youth.

2024 Spring Concert Series

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The Orvis Foundation Board

Arthur and Mae Zenke Orvis, originally of New York, built a legacy in Hawai‘i that continues today. Arthur, a stockbroker, and Mae Zenke, an opera singer, visited Hawai‘i frequently, developing close bonds with the community and becoming lifelong supporters of the arts.

The Orvises’ philanthropy in Hawai‘i began in 1960, when they donated funds to build the Mae Zenke Orvis Auditorium on the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa campus. The auditorium, with its excellent acoustics and a fine pipe organ donated by the Orvises, remains an important concert venue. Over the years, the Orvises’ generosity fostered a vibrant cultural landscape that delivers innovative, high quality performance and education in the arts to our communities.

Hawaii Youth Symphony would also like to thank the Arthur and Mae Zenke Orvis Foundation for investing in our local art scene through their continued support of various arts organizations in Hawai‘i, including Chamber Music Hawai‘i, the Hawai‘i Opera Theatre, Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra, UH Mānoa Music Department, Honolulu Chamber Music Series, and the Honolulu Museum of Art.

2024 Orvis HYS Concerto Winner

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Shane Komeiji hane Komeiji is a senior student at Punahou School and flutist in Youth Symphony I. He has performed in numerous competitions and recitals at retirement homes around ‘Oahu. Shane joined HYS in the tenth grade and has enjoyed playing with other incredible, local students, HSO, and various guest artists. HYS has shown him the impact and importance of music and how music can truly impact others’ lives.

He hopes to pursue a double degree or major in flute performance and chemistry in college. Shane would like to thank his family for their endless support, Aileen Kawakami for guiding him through his music career thus far, and all his friends for inspiring and supporting his music.

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Celebrating our 59th season!

SYMPHONY PROGRAM

Spring Concert

Sunday, April 14, 2023 ✽ 2:00 pm Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center

Concert Orchestra

Wayne Fanning, Conductor Overture to Nabucco

Giuseppe Verdi arr. Sandra Dackow

Cadence Everlasting

Rossano Galante

Skeleton Key Percussion Feature

Brian Nozny

Resurgences

Robert Sheldon

The Best of Bruno Mars

arr. Victor Lopez

Youth Symphony II

Elton Masaki and Susan Ochi-Onishi, Conductors Princess Sa-ho Fantasy Percussion Feature

Takamasa Sakai

The Cowboys Overture

John Williams

Polovtsian Dances from “Prince Igor”

Alexander Borodin

Three Anime Themes I. Attack on Titan Opening II. Kamado Tanjiro no Uta from Demon Slayer

III. Il Vento D’oro from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

arr. Andrés Soto Go Shiina arr. Mikio Gohama Yugo Kanno arr. Mikio Gohama

Salute to the Cinema

arr. Carl Strommen

Youth Symphony I

Joseph Stepec, Conductor Berceuse & Finale from “The Firebird” Suite

Igor Stravinsky arr. Merle J. Isaac

Fantasie for Flute and Orchestra Shane Komeiji, Flute Orvis HYS Concerto Competition Winner

Georges Hüe arr. A. Gagarinov

An American in Paris (1930 edition)

George Gershwin

2024 Spring Concert Series

SYMPHONY PROGRAM ✽ April 14 | 5

Wayne Fanning Concert Orchestra Conductor

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ayne Fanning is a graduate of Hilo High School and participated in HYS Concert Orchestra and the Pacific Music Institute as a student. He received his Bachelor of Education and Master of Arts from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Fanning has performed with numerous professional and community ensembles throughout Hawai‘i.

Prior to his current position at HYS, he served as director of the Music in the Clubhouse Band and a clinician for various HYS Orchestras. He has served as guest conductor for the Maui District High School Massed Band and the Central District Beginning Honor Orchestra, as well as several school bands and orchestras. He has been teaching band and orchestra at Niu Valley Middle School since 1998, where his musical ensembles have performed for music conferences in Honolulu, Denver, and Iowa. Most recently, they performed at Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House.

6 | April 14 ✽ CONCERT ORCHESTRA

Celebrating our 59th season!

Concert Orchestra

Violin I

Geon Cha Dominic Chi Chloe Yunju Cho, Concertmaster Richard Kangmin Cho Ethan Chow Charles Haring Grace Jeong Cheyna Murakami Minh Chau Nguyen Noah Tanaka Elena Tjoeng Lantana Widana

Violin II

Xelhuan AndersonMartinez Clara Elham Colin Emerson Shannon Avery Go Cole Jackson Kian Jackson Sky Ko Tara Krishnagopalan, Principal Haley Lau Matthew Liu Victoria Lu Chloe Petilos Kolleen Roessig Tenley Tanigawa Max Villanueva Tobias Watanabe Marc Yoo

Viola

Seoyeon Byun Hyunwoo Chang Jada Kaya, Principal Zoe Sagadraca Asa Thompson

Cello

Clarinet

Lauren Chen, Principal Reia Jumawan Riu Kang Erin Suehisa Zephyr Tanigawa Yoshiki Yamada

Audrey Branner Eliana Chang Otto Ferguson Bronwen Nagayama Louis Rhee Daniel Schoen Evangeline Tjoeng, Principal Reese Walther

Bassoon

Cielle Charron, Principal Farrah Li

Trumpet

Bass

Harp

Chloe Chen, Principal

Flute

Dena Brennan, Principal Eunice Kim Anna Motohashi Baiyi Wang

Oboe

Ian Cho Charlotte Gimber Kamy Kaneshige, Principal Nainoa Tindle

Eri Kuroyanagi Misa Kuroyanagi, Principal

Horn

Ava Atagi Maile Judd, Principal Matthew Meinert Justin Morikawa Maiah Oba Paige Kawana Vincent Lassoff Reimer Wolf, Principal Erin Wong Carissa Miyamoto, Guest Musician Parker Nakamura, Guest Musician

Trombone

Kolten Hamana Xyon-La'Jount Jury Cy Kaneshiro, Principal Hikaru Kikuchi Harlan King Alex Shin

Tuba

Charles Schulberg, Principal Kai Shoemaker

Percussion

About Concert Orchestra

Mia Kim James Kunihiro, Principal Nanami Mata James Munoz Trinity Vong

Concert Orchestra (CO) is the third most advanced of HYS’s seven orchestras and the entry point into the Symphony Program. This year, Concert Orchestra is composed of 83 students from 26 public, private, and homeschools across O‘ahu and Kaua‘i. This season’s concertmaster is Chloe Yunju Cho, a sixth-grade student from Niu Valley Middle School.

2024 Spring Concert Series

CONCERT ORCHESTRA ✽ April 14 | 7

Susan Ochi-Onishi Conductor

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usan Ochi-Onishi has proudly served as a middle and high school music educator in the Hawai‘i State Department of Education since 1988. Prior to teaching at Kaimukī Middle School, she has held music teaching positions at Wai‘anae Intermediate School and Moanalua High School.

Mrs. Ochi-Onishi is in her 29th year at Kaimukī Middle School where she instructs the beginning, intermediate, and advanced band students and directs the Kaimukī Middle School Symphonic Winds. During her tenure at Kaimukī, she has worked hard to nurture, build and consolidate the KMS Music Department. She provided opportunities for her colleagues to serve as KMS Department Head while she focused on leading the KMS Symphonic Winds to a higher performance level. As the first middle school band from Hawai‘i to receive an invitation, KMS Symphonic Winds have proudly represented the State of Hawai‘i by performing at the 2019 Music for All National Festival. In 2015, KMS Symphonic Winds was the first middle school band from Hawai‘i to perform at Carnegie Hall, where they received the Gold Award for their high adjudication scores. In addition to performing at the ASBDA Convention and traveling to share their music with others, many of our students continue to participate in the Hawaii Youth Symphony Programs.

Mrs. Ochi-Onishi received her Bachelor’s Degree and PDMUS in Music Education and Oboe Performance from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She received her Master’s of Music degree from Northwestern University, where she was a student of Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians Ray Still (oboe) and Grover Schlitz (English Horn). Her past oboe teachers include: Linda Strommen, Jeffrey Rathbun, Thomas Boyd, Margot Golding, and Roy Yanagida. She has performed with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, Royal Hawaiian Band, Maui Symphony, Diamond Head Theater, and various music ensembles. She served as the oboe lecturer at the University of Hawai‘i and continues to serve as the oboe clinician for the Pacific Music Institute. Her professional affiliations include the O‘ahu Band Directors Association and the American School Band Directors Association. Mrs. Ochi-Onishi is CoConductor of the Hawaii Youth Symphony II and is an alumna of the Hawaii Youth Symphony Program where she served as Principal Oboe during her time as a student.

✽ Elton Masaki Conductor

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lton Masaki holds a Bachelor of Education Degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in music from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and a Master of Music in Education Degree from Boston University. Mr. Masaki is the current high school orchestra director at Kamehameha School Kapālama Campus and the associate conductor of Youth Symphony II. In the past, he has also taught orchestra at Mid-Pacific Institute, Kamehameha Middle School, and with the Hawaii Youth Symphony Academy String Program. In addition to this, Mr. Masaki also serves as an orchestra clinician for a number of different camps and workshops both on and off island and manages the A Major Quartet. When he isn’t teaching, he is active as a community violin/viola player with performances in numerous musical theater productions as well as with other community orchestras such as the Oahu Civic Orchestra, UH Symphony, Oahu Chamber Orchestra, Allegro Chamber Orchestra, Hawaii Chamber Orchestra and has also subbed as a violinist with the Hawaii Pops, Maui Symphony, and Kona Symphony.

M. Ed. (Music Education), Boston University. B. Ed (Secondary Education, Music Emphasis), University of Hawai‘i.

8 | April 14 ✽ YOUTH SYMPHONY II

Celebrating our 59th season!

Violin I

Youth Symphony II

Flora Elham Brayden Fabro Elizabeth Fink, Co-Concertmaster Yanling Guo, Co-Concertmaster Kai Im Jayden Kim Vincent Lau Brian Lim Maria Swan Natalia Tangonan Katherine Wu Eileen Zhang

Violin II

Narissa Chen Hailee Choi Airi Choy Sydney Chung Elena de Lima Brycen Fabro Hayden Freitas Kara Kim Brenna Lewis Lily Nomura Hayley Okano, Co-Principal Taylor Rogers Manami Sato Sage Shiroma Sherry Taguchi Naomi Thompson Tri Truong, Co-Principal Kirstin Wee Shion Yamasaki

Viola

Leala Florendo, Co-Principal Eun Ha Sophie Kaiser Sean Lee Yunseo Lee, Co-Principal Kyla Miyamoto

Bass

Riley Paakaula, guest musician

Harp

Beylih Beale, Principal

Piccolo Flute

Hope Bayudan, Principal Xinyi Dai Celine Lee Jason Okutani Henry Rhee

Oboe

Sage Andrews Sara Inao, Principal Paula Marley KongMercado Brandalyn Tran

English Horn Sarah Inao

Nathan Amemiya Anna Choi Yuto Kawaguchi Jeannie Kim Matt Michibata Ellie Obara Alicia Tangonan, Principal

Bass Clarinet

Nathan Amamiya

Jerry Gao Daniel Kim Kainani Nitz, Principal Aimee Okagawa

Horn

Hope Bayudan Jason Okutani

Clarinet

Bassoon

Hannah Emrani Parker Hursty Derek Katayama Jake Miyakawa, Principal Breydi Nuibe Nicholas Xu

Trumpet

Zachary Choi, Principal Micah Kim Kaden Kojima Christopher Yara

Trombone

Caleb Chinen Micah Dijos Zachary Oh, Principal Jason Sakata Brandon Tran Paolo Vu

Tuba

Wilson Co

Percussion

Jordan Buenaventura Camden Funai Keira Ida Ayu Ian Pak Mia Taheri Kyli Taketa, Principal

Cello

Aleena Bendzius Michael Chan, Co-Principal Sophia Chan, Co-Principal Danica Ibanez Cody Kajioka Jibhum Lee Eugene Lee Paisley Sagadraca Isabella Santos Ty Tokunaga 2024 Spring Concert Series

About Youth Symphony II

Youth Symphony II (YSII) is the second most advanced of HYS’s seven orchestras. For the 2023-2024 season, YSII is composed of 91 students from 25 public, private, and homeschools across O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, and the Big Island. Elizabeth Fink, a tenth grade student from Mid-Pacific Institute, and Yanling Guo, an eighth grade homeschool student, are this season’s co-concertmasters.

YOUTH SYMPHONY II ✽ April 14 | 9

Joseph Stepec Director of Orchestral Activities & PMI Artistic Director Youth Symphony I, Conductor

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oseph Stepec came to Hawai‘i from Cleveland, Ohio in 2016. He is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestras at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Music Department. Under his direction, the University of Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra has premiered works of new composers, represented underperformed masterworks, and has collaborated with ensembles as diverse as the United States Marine Band and the choir and orchestra of Weber State University. In 2017, Mr. Stepec, together with Dr. ChetYeng Loong of the University of Hawai‘i, began the Hawai‘i All State String Orchestra which serves local students in an effort to promote string performance and education. During the 2017–18 academic year, Stepec also served as the Interim Conductor of Youth Symphony I for HYS. He is an active clinician that has guest taught many ensembles visiting Hawai‘i and maintains an active relationship with the Global School of Music youth orchestra program in Shanghai, China.

Mr. Stepec studied violin with Gregory Fulkerson at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and conducting at the Eastman School of Music with master teacher, Neil Varon. Mr. Stepec additionally studied with Michael Jinbo at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and pursued doctoral studies at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. As a conductor, he has been featured on numerous programs with the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, he was a conducting Fellow at the Menuhin Gstaad Music Festival where he worked closely with Jaap van Zweden, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic and noted conducting pedagogue, Johannes Schlaefli. In 2019, Mr. Stepec premiered a new translation of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat set in colonial Hawaii with members of Chamber Music Hawaii to very favorable reviews.

“I am honored to have been chosen to lead HYS’ symphony program. HYS’ mission and its goals are ones that I deeply resonate with from my own special and formative years playing in a youth symphony: the opportunity to learn to make music together at the highest level and with the greatest commitment is one that shapes lives and forges unbreakable friendships and memories. I am thrilled to be fulfilling this new position alongside my incredibly talented colleagues at HYS and PMI,” said Joseph Stepec.

10 | April 14 ✽ YOUTH SYMPHONY I

Celebrating our 59th season!

Violin I

Youth Symphony I

Preston Chi Leia Choi Ymin Guo Vance Maeshiro Cody James Nakagawa Emi Okumoto Max Shinno Kaitlyn Sim Sevastyan Swan Belise Swartwood Gwyneth Tenn Liliko Ueda

Violin II

Kai Asakura Ella Cheung Nicholas Chi Ashley Jisue Hong Coco Kim Riya Krishnagopalan Keanna Lau Aya Okimoto Christopher Oyama Alexis Phansaithong Daniel Yoo

Viola

Mana Chun Rylie Ann Hashizume Swan Kim Albert Ko Mie Kodama Hannah Kwak David Mansfield Gray Nauwelaerts Elizabeth Swan Lulu Wang

Bass

Seitaro Kobayashi Isabelle Morita Joshua Wung

Harp

Trumpet

Jasmine Addison Dawson Chan Kyle Ehara Joel Lee

Arabella Tan

Trombone

Shane Komeiji Flora Liao Noelani Velasco Jessica-Holly Wiemer

Tuba

Flute

Oboe

Daniel Li

Percussion

Maya Hokada Alexis Molina Kyle Siu Ayaka Yoshii

Travis Chen Mani Kovacich Carter Nobuhara Alexa Sasaki Brady Schultz

Clarinet

Grace Kawaoka Leanne So Aiden Taheri Chelsea Takushi

Piano

Jasmine Nagano, Guest Musician

Bassoon

Guest Students from the Hawaii Saxophone Foundation

Spencer Lyau Jayden Retutal

Horn

Ahren Awong Jae Koo Andrew Li Luke Watanabe

Gabriel Cole McKenzee Espiritu Zhixian Lu Chelsea Song Caleb Tamargo Nicholas Williams

Alto Saxophone Cayne Hironaka

Tenor Saxophone Kylie Paris

Baritone Saxophone Caitlin Lau

Cello

Ian Ahn Anson Akemoto Dylan Campuspos Lei Yao Chang Cassidy Ibanez Ashlyn Ito Emma Newman Jason Vierra Bryan Wood Jodie Wung Taigo Yuen

2024 Spring Concert Series

About Youth Symphony I

Youth Symphony I (YSI) is the most advanced of HYS’s seven orchestras and is one of the finest youth symphonies in the country. In its history, YSI has performed with renowned guest artists, was a finalist in the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, and had the special honor of performing on From The Top, a nationally-broadcast radio show.

For the 2023–2024 season, YSI is composed of 82 students, grades 9–12, from 15 public, home and independent schools across O‘ahu.

YOUTH SYMPHONY I ✽ April 14 | 11

LEARN AN INSTRUMENT THIS SUMMER! At Hawaii Youth Symphony, every student learns an instrument and makes music in an ensemble Classes daily – no prior music experience necessary for beginners!

Youth ages 7+ of all levels and backgrounds are welcome.

Learn more at hiyouthsymphony.org ‘UKULELE • MUS

I C I N TH

E C LU B

HOU SE •

STRINGS • JAZZ • BAND • SYMPHO

Follow us on social media! @hiyouthsymphony

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Celebrating our 59th season!

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ACADEMY, SUPER STRINGS, MUSIC IN THE CLUBHOUSE & PĀLOLO PĀKEKE PROGRAMS

Spring Concert

Saturday, April 27, 2024 ✽ 3:00 pm Kaimukī High School Auditorium

Music4Kids & Pālolo Pākeke Ensemble Christopher Cabrera, Teacher

Program to be announced from stage.

Nānākuli Strings

Yuseon Nam, Violin Instructor Program to be announced from stage.

Super Strings Beginning & Intermediate Classes Laurie Shimabukuro, Violin Instructor

Kutsu ga Naru (The Sound of Shoes)

arr. Robert S. Frost

The Great Key Chase

Janice L. McAllister

Cripple Creek

arr. Andrew H. Dabczynski and Bob Phillips

Beginning String Ensemble (BSE) Hannah Watanabe, Conductor

Arpeggio Round Orchestra March

Jeremy Woolstenhulme

Spy Rock

Eric B. Davis

BSE, Nānākuli Strings & Super Strings Combined Ensemble

5th Avenue Rock

Katheryn Griesinger

Intermediate String Ensemble Hannah Watanabe, Conductor

Avatar Aurora Borealis

2024 Spring Concert Series

Doug Spata Michael Hopkins

ACADEMY PROGRAM ✽ April 27 | 13

String Orchestra Ensemble Michael Lim, Conductor

Brandenburg Concerto No. 3

J. S. Bach arr. Merle J. Isaac

Adagio (From Symphony No. 2, Op. 27)

Sergei Rachmaninoff arr. Robert Longfield

To Tame the Raging Rapids

Brian Balmages

Concert String Orchestra Michael Lim, Conductor

Hoe Down (from "Rodeo)

Mother Goose Suite I. Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty II. Tom Thumb III. Empress of the Pagodas IV. The Conversation of Beauty and the Beast V. The Enchanted Garden Subterranean Dialogues

14 | April 27 ✽ ACADEMY PROGRAM

Aaron Copland arr. Stephen Bulla Maurice Ravel arr. Carrie Lane Gruselle

Richard Meyer

Celebrating our 59th season!

Music4Kids

Hi’ilei Arakaki Alina Chen Jasper Chen

Kaimana Lui-Kwan Rodrigo Nava Alvarez Joseph Nguyen

Ella Watson Gabriel Yi

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Pālolo Pākeke Ensemble

William Aiauo Alliona Fuentes Denise Helu-Odom

Grace-Kaunanga Helu Jahnesty Ke-a-etse Henry Nguyen

Janicalai Sandiago Dean Smith Reann William

✽ Christopher Cabrera Pālolo Pākeke Ensemble & Music4Kids Instructor

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hristopher Cabrera is Associate Principal Timpanist and Section Percussionist with the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra. Born and raised in San Francisco, Christopher began his percussion studies in public school during the 3rd grade; a product of the San Francisco Symphony’s AIM program. After graduating from Ruth Asawa’s San Francisco School of the Arts (’11), he spent 6 years in northeast Ohio receiving a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music from Cleveland Institute of Music. A student of the late Richard Weiner, Christopher received the Bruce Collie Award For Percussion Excellence upon graduating from CIM.

About Pālolo Pākeke Ensemble

Pākeke in Hawaiian means “bucket” and our Pālolo Pākeke Ensemble is one of the newest partnership programs for HYS with Pālolo Elementary School. Students at Pālolo Elementary’s after school program have the opportunity to sign-up and learn the basics of music through bucket drumming! Now in its second year, we hope to see this program continue to grow, so more students have the chance to experience music and learn valuable life lessons while making music together.

2024 Spring Concert Series

MJUSIC4KIDS & PĀLOLO PĀKEKE ✽ April 27 | 15

Super Strings Beginning Class Juliette Brownfield Erin Kawamura Kanoa Kawamura

Intermediate Class Rachel Aberilla Kiane Durand QuirogaVerhaaf Greer Gibson

Isabella Toloza Juliet Yim

Channing Henghold Ava Holmberg John Tavares

✽ Laurie Shimabukuro Super Strings, Violin Teacher

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aurie Shimabukuro grew up on O‘ahu studying the violin under the Suzuki Method from age four. She joined her first orchestra ensemble in the seventh grade as the concertmaster of the Punahou Advanced Orchestra and the Hawaii Youth Symphony in the eighth grade as the concertmaster of the Youth Symphony II orchestra. As a senior in high school, she was the concertmaster for both the Punahou Symphony and Youth Symphony I orchestras. She was the winner of several awards and competitions, including the Honolulu Symphony’s Talent Pool, Morning Music Scholarship, HMTA, and MTNA competitions in Hawaii. She continued her music studies with Daniel Rouslin at Willamette University, where she served as the concertmaster for the University Chamber Orchestra and concertmaster/soloist for the Salem Chamber Orchestra. She graduated with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music and Chemistry from Willamette University and earned a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Hawai‘i.

Music has provided her with several amazing opportunities. She participated in masterclasses/ workshops with Yehudi Menuhin, Kyoko Takezawa, The Emerson String Quartet, Almita Vamos, John Kendall, and other inspiring teachers. She also traveled to Europe with the Ambassadors of Music from Hawai‘i and performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Japanese chorus groups in Hawai‘i and Japan.

Her musical theater collaborations included the world premier and encore productions of Ohana Arts’ original musical “Peace On Your Wings” in Hawai‘i and other local community plays.

Through her first job as a math tutor in high school and teaching English in Japan and violin from the time she was a college student, Laurie has enjoyed working with students and helping them develop the confidence to succeed in their future endeavors.

Laurie currently teaches violin part-time and enjoys playing chamber music. Prior to the pandemic, she also performed with the O‘ahu Civic Orchestra and University of Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra while maintaining her accounting career and volunteering as a Master Gardener, Consulting Rosarian, and treasurer of the Honolulu Rose Society.

About Super Strings

Started in the summer of 2021, Super Strings at Le Jardin Academy is for Windward O‘ahu students who are interested in learning to play the violin and experiencing the joy of music through the violin. Students learn instrumental technique, rhythmic patterns, note reading skills, listening skills, concepts of musicality, basics of group playing, improvisation, and a variety of musical styles. This year, we have students from 10 different public, private and home schools participating in the Super Strings program!

16 | April 27 ✽ SUPER STRINGS

Celebrating our 59th season!

Nānākuli Strings

Alaylah Gohier Cassie Galeon-Kekuawelo Chloe Domingo Jaime Javier

Jesse James Essner Kana‘i Nui HainaCanencia Kento Crutchfield

Kodi Ishikane Lylah Halia Beamer Terrance Joseph Beckett

✽ Yuseon Nam Nānākuli Strings, Violin Teacher

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r. Yuseon Nam has quickly made a positive impact on the musical community of Hawai‘i since her arrival in the fall of 2017. She is a full-time member of the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra, and also maintains a large private studio. She teaches violin lessons at ‘Iolani School and is the current Vice President of the Hawai‘i Music Teachers Association.

Dr. Nam did her undergraduate studies at Seoul National University and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, summa cum laude, studying with Ik-Hwan Bae. Dr. Nam completed her doctoral degree in violin performance and literature at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Federico Agostini. She was Professor Agostini’s teaching assistant, and also taught violin courses at the University of Rochester. Dr. Nam also studied with Mimi Zweig at Indiana University to complete her master’s degree in violin/viola pedagogy. While at Indiana, she taught students in the Indiana University String Academy.

Dr. Nam is an active soloist and chamber musician. She has performed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Nam was the founder of the Felix Trio, and they were featured at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Yujung Arts Center in Seoul, and invited as a resident trio at the Banff Centre Chamber Music Residency. Dr. Nam has been a prizewinner in numerous competitions and has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the world including Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, KoreanAmerican Youth Orchestra, and Romanian State Orchestra. Also an accomplished viola player, Dr. Nam was invited as a viola guest artist to the International Chamber Music Festival of Puerto Rico.

About Music in the Clubhouse

For over a decade, HYS has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai’i to provide low-cost, entry-level classes to Clubhouse youth. Made possible through the generosity of private foundations, public support and contributions to HYS, the classes provide free instrument loans, sheet music, and instruction on a weekly basis throughout the school year. More than 5.000 Honolulu-region youth (largely from Mo‘ili’ili, McCully, Ala Wai, Pauoa, and Nu’uanu) have had the chance to play music, thanks to our Music4Kids classes at the Spalding Club.

In 2019, HYS launched its Music in the Clubhouse initiative at the Nānākuli Clubhouse along the Wai’anae coast. Carnegie Hall recognized HYS as Hawaii’s first recipient of a PlayUSA grant, a program that supports a wide range of instrumental music education projects across the nation, all with a specific interest in reaching low-income and underserved students on a local level. HYS also works with string students at Kaunakakai Elementary on Moloka’i, and provides travel reimbursements and scholarships to SOE, CSO, Symphony Program and PMI students from Kauai’i, Maui, and the Hawai’i islands.

2024 Spring Concert Series

NĀNĀKULI STRINGS ✽ April 27 | 17

Violin

Beginning String Ensemble

Michael Andrew Chang Yaoqi Liu Isabella Lorenzo Alyssabeth Nieto Joy Wang Jane Yoon

Viola

Chloe Cheong Lucia Cheong Gabriel Gardner Mia Harjati Peyton Taketa

Cello

John Anthony Chang Kenzo Cummings Mason Phung Giuliano Jack Alexander Ricardi King Zane Schank Ella Wang San Lam Weng

Bass

Ellie Arakaki Evelyn Cindrity Emily Smith Isla Stark

✽

Violin

Intermediate String Ensemble

Ava Bonner Mia Bonner Milani Cortez Lia Fagaragan Rosella Mae Galapon Seraphina Gower

Violin

Rydan Duke Stevenson Samuel Tarn Alex Tokunaga Andrew Wang Lily Yasuda

Cello

Alisa Gardner Gabriel Lopez Travis Lou Albert Wang

✽

String Orchestra Ensemble

Trevor Dinh Katelyn Ewing James Joyner, III Keeley Kobayashi Sue Lee Ava Morgan

Violin

Kaleb Konishi Henry Lee Jade Liao Naomi Lopez Chi Nguyen Ava Panganiban Kanani Reid Tetsuo Shimazu

Jeff Pitathawatchai Olivia Schank Griffin Tano Yuna Tueller Aya Wismeth Jana Wu Jeannie Wu

Cello

Olivia Kim Emi Mochinaga Lincoln Sueoka

Bass

Andersen Nishimura

✽

Concert String Orchestra

Joseph Ching Abner Chun Mariko Colaianni Lulu Enomoto Jaron Kim Annaka Lau Kaylee Liang Eliana Lin

Zuri Phung Isaiah Wane Suriel Wane Felicia Yang

Viola

Daphne Lawton Matthew Ryan Lizardo

18 | April 27 ✽ ACADEMY STRINGS

Cello

Rose Bozeman Madeline Ebisu Jacob Kim Rex Lin Jedi Si Ming Ng Kayden Nishimura Joseph Perez

Bass

Ian Taira

Celebrating our 59th season!

Michael Lim Conductor

M

ichael Lim is a dedicated music teacher and professional violinist.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i, he began his musical career at the age of four with the piano, and started his violin studies at the age of seven. A graduate of Punahou School, Michael was involved in Punahou’s orchestra and string quartet program, and was a member of Hawaii Youth Symphony’s YSII and YSI orchestras during his middle school and high school years. He is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he received his Bachelors and Masters of Music in violin performance. After returning to Hawai’i, he completed his Post-Baccalaureate Certificate of Music Education at the University of Hawai’i Mānoa, and currently teaches orchestra and choir in grades 6–12 at Mid Pacific. In addition to his music teaching career, Michael is also a full-time member of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra violin section, teaches private violin and viola lessons, and has served on the board of the Hawai’i Music Educators Association. He is a passionate educator and performer, and hopes to share his love of music with his students and inspire a new generation of musicians to cherish and preserve the art of music.

✽ Brent Ramos Academy Strings Program Coordinator & Office Receptionist

B

rent Ramos is a graduate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance. He is an HYS alumni who started in the Academy Strings Program, and in his senior year of high school was concertmaster of Youth Symphony I. After graduating from high school and while in college, Mr. Ramos was a Teacher’s Assistant for the Moanalua Middle School Summer Orchestra Program for many years. He has been the HYS Academy Strings Program Coordinator for two years now, and started working as the HYS Office Receptionist this past year. Besides his roles at HYS, Mr. Ramos also plays violin with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, teaches private lessons at the Masaki School of Music, and volunteers his time to help out as a violin coach at several local schools.

About Academy Strings

The HYS Academy Strings is composed of four string ensembles with entry points for students of beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. In proud partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubhouse of Hawaii, the Academy offers children ages 8 and older the opportunity to play violin, viola, cello, or string bass in group settings that emphasize the fundamental skills necessary for musical success. This season’s Academy students represent more than 40 public, independent, and home schools.

During the summer, the Academy offers Summer Strings, daily instruction over a five-week session for beginning and intermediate players. All Academy classes are held at the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii’s Spalding Clubhouse. If you are interested in our summer programs, please go to https://hiyouthsymphony.org/summer/ for more information!

2024 Spring Concert Series

ACADEMY STRINGS ✽ April 27 | 19

Hannah Watanabe Programs Director Beginning String Ensemble & Intermdiate String Ensemble Conductor

H

annah Watanabe works for the Hawaii Youth Symphony as Programs Manager and conductor for the Academy Program’s Beginning String Ensemble and Intermediate String Ensemble. She was also the conductor for Symphony Program’s Concert Orchestra from 2006–2023.

She is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where she earned a Bachelor of Education degree in K–12 Music Education with an emphasis in Secondary Instrumental Music. Ms. Watanabe is an alumnus of the Hawaii Youth Symphony where she performed under the direction of Mr. Michael Nakasone and Mr. Henry Miyamura. Prior to working at HYS, she taught orchestra for 16 years as an educator at Moanalua Middle School. While at Moanalua Middle School, she took the orchestra on several trips including Boston to work with musicians from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Disney World where the orchestra won Best in Class, the Gold Award, and received a superior rating twice at Festival Disney, Disneyland to perform and participate in the Disney Workshop, and to the neighbor islands where her students performed and taught elementary school students about music and the orchestra. Prior to teaching at Moanalua Middle School, Ms. Watanabe also taught K–6 general music and choir at Hawaii Baptist Academy, orchestra, piano, and music theory at Moanalua High School, and while still in college, she taught orchestra at Kalani High School part time. Ms. Watanabe is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Hawaii Music Educators Association, American String Teachers Association, and the Hawaii Chapter of the American String Teachers Association.

20 | April 27 ✽ ACADEMY STRINGS

Celebrating our 59th season!

JAZZ PROGRAM

Spring Concert

Saturday, May 11, 2024 ✽ 1:00 pm Studio 909, Musicians Association of Hawai‘i Dean Taba, Jazz Director Ryan Howe, Jazz Instructor Noel Okimoto, Jazz Instructor

Jazz II

Program to be announced from stage

Jazz I

Program to be announced from stage

Flute

Jazz II

Dena Brennan Mitchell Denton

Alto Saxophone Verily Coryell

Tenor Saxophone

Maxwell Chin

✽

Electric Guitar

Bass Guitar Kiron Toma

Keyboard

Jazz I

Alto/Tenor Saxo- Bass Guitar phone Johann Machida Desmond Maurer

Rodrigo Del Carpio Bass Clarinet Liam McCabe Desmond Maurer

Drum Set & Congas Henry Powell Isato Kimura

Electric Guitar

Drum Set & Congas

Carter Nobuhara Alex Tripp

Broderick Nakasone

Ash Bu Eli Wolfe

About Jazz Program

A relatively new HYS program, HYS Jazz celebrates its fourth anniversary this year! Under the leadership of HYS Jazz Director Dean Taba, and with the support of our dedicated faculty including Dean, Noel Okimoto, and Ryan Howe, HYS Jazz offers Intermediate Contemporary Ensemble and Advanced Contemporary Ensemble for students 14–18. Advancing Hawaii Youth Symphony’s ongoing commitment to making music education accessible to all students, HYS Jazz also recently launched its Beginning Improvisation Group for ages 12 and up. HYS Jazz students are taught the skills necessary to play as a rhythm section, accompany others, and improvise. We are proud to have guitarists, keyboardists, drummers, and saxophonists among our student body, though HYS Jazz is a wholly inclusive environment and welcomes students from all orchestral instruments.

HYS Jazz frequently collaborates with highly-respected artists, and in its short history has already performed with Jake Shimabukuro, trumpeter Eric Miyashiro, saxophonist Steve Treseler, vocalists Shari Lyn, and John Valentine! Though the focus of HYS Jazz is music performance, many entrepreneurial facets of being a professional musician or working in the music industry are addressed throughout the year.

Students have direct access to top audio engineers, influential musicians, and music business gurus. Learn more about all that HYS Jazz has to offer at https://hiyouthsymphony.org/hysjazz/ 2024 Spring Concert Series

JAZZ PROGRAM ✽ May 11 | 21

DEAN TABA HYS Jazz Director & Conductor

A

highly regarded studio and freelance musician, Dean Taba began his musical studies on the piano at the age of 6 and played French horn in the Hawaii Youth Symphony. It was a desire to play in the high school jazz band that introduced him to the bass and improvised music.

After extensive studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and a refinement of his skills on both the acoustic and electric bass, Dean relocated in 1984 to Los Angeles to become one of its most in demand musicians.

Also a respected clinician and educator (Los Angeles Music Academy, Musician’s Institute, Cal-Poly Pomona, Grove School of Music) Dean has recently performed/recorded with Jeff Lorber, David Benoit, Mark Murphy, Jake Shimabukuro, Andy Summers, Sadao Watanabe, The San Francisco Symphony, Hiroshima, Rick Braun, The American Jazz Institute Orchestra, Dave Koz, Jeff Richman, Pauline Wilson, The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Daniel Ho, Bill Watrous, and many others as well as playing on countless CDs, TV shows, and movie soundtracks.

✽ RYAN HOWE Conductor

R

yan Howe graduated from Maui High School and completed both his Bachelor’s in Music Education and Master’s in Bassoon Performance at the University of Hawai‘i. He currently teaches middle school band at Moanalua Middle School.

Mr. Howe says: “I have two things that I love to do in life, teach music and cooking. Both are great ways to express one’s self and a great medium to change people’s perspectives in life and to teach humanity and good fellowship. Other than music, I like to play sports such as tennis, basketball, and golf. I believe that in order to be a healthy and effective teacher, you must have a balanced life.

Mind, body, and soul. I look forward to working with all students and parents. Please feel free to ask questions, because I believe that everyone is important, and they deserve to be heard.”

✽ NOEL OKIMOTO Conductor

B

orn and raised in Honolulu, Noel Okimoto has been playing professionally since the age of ten. Noel’s primary instrument is the drum set, but is also an accomplished orchestral percussionist, vibraphonist, composer and clinician. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Percussion from the University of Hawai‘i. Noel has played in Hawai‘i, the mainland USA, and internationally with Freddie Hubbard, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Stan Getz, Bobby Hutcherson, Richie Cole, Bill Watrous, Ernie Watts, Bud Shank, Barney Kessel, Lew Tabackin, Sadao Watanabe, Wynton Marsalis, Ronnie Cuber, Makoto Ozone, Jeff Richman, Larry Coryell, Nestor Torres, Gene Harris, Take 6, David Benoit, Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle, Steve Allen, Natalie Cole, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Bob Hope, Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, Dionne Warwick, and Jake Shimabukuro, among others. He was also a member of the Gabe Baltazar Group for five years. He is also the percussion section leader of the historic Royal Hawaiian Band.

Okimoto recorded an award-winning jazz CD in 2004, entitled ‘Ohana, that received a 4-Star review in Downbeat magazine and positive reviews in other national and international publications.

22 | May 11 ✽ JAZZ PROGRAM

Celebrating our 59th season!

HYS Administration & Staff Veronica Cox Librarian

V

eronica Cox grew up playing saxophone and singing in choirs in Ohio, where she graduated from the University of Akron, receiving a Bachelor of Music in Music Education PreK–12. She also holds a Hawaii Teaching License in Music, K–12 and works in Hawaii Public Schools. Veronica has been an active member in the National Association for Music Education, American Choral Directors Association, and Ohio Music Education Association since 2017.

Throughout her life, Veronica has participated in Concert and Marching Bands, along with Concert and Chamber Choirs, touring around Ohio and Germany.

Being surrounded by music her whole life, Veronica is excited to work with HYS to help make music a right!

✽

Cyrinthia (Tia) Decker Development Coordinator

O

riginally from Southern California, Tia moved to Honolulu from New Mexico at the beginning of 2023, where she earned her B.A. in Music and minor in Arts Administration. She is passionate about uplifting the music community, and has previously worked with various music educational organizations, including Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization.

“I have been in music playing the French horn for 13 years and love everything it has to offer. I am so excited to be a part of the Hawaii Youth Symphony!”

✽

—Tia Decker

Lauren Sergent Operations Manager

L

auren Sergent holds a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Public Relations with a Minor in Music from Carthage College. Her experience as a vocalist and percussionist has allowed her to perform for diverse audiences on tours across the U.S., Japan, Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia. Over the past few years, Lauren has been a member of groups such as Master Singers of Milwaukee, O‘ahu Choral Society, and Windward Choral Society. Committed to promoting youth engagement in music, she has made impactful contributions working for Drum Corps International and is looking forward to her new role at HYS. Outside of HYS, Lauren is a Licensed Massage Therapist with advanced training in treatment and self-care for common musicians’ injuries.

Lauren believes that music is, “A powerful tool that serves an almost endless amount of purposes, but perhaps the most meaningful to me is the way it allows us to express emotions and foster connections—particularly with those who we may not think we have much in common with or who speak a different language from us.”

2024 Spring Concert Series

HYS ADMINISTRATION | 23

Randy Wong President & CEO

H

awaii-born and raised, Randy Wong is a distinctive voice within the arts administration and the musical communities, and one of few Asian American executive directors among the hundreds of orchestras nationwide. He is an official member and thought influencer of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, sharing insights on arts education and youth development. The Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for successful seniorlevel executives of nonprofit organizations.

As the President & CEO of Hawaii Youth Symphony (and a proud alumnus), Randy passionately champions its strategic vision of a Hawai‘i where Music Is A Right. Fast Company recognized HYS in 2023 as one of its Best Workplaces for Innovators and bestowed top honors for Social Good. Together, Randy and HYS have garnered numerous accolades and honors for executive nonprofit leadership, public relations, marketing, communications, television, and more.

Simultaneous to leading HYS, Randy is also a bassist in the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra, and as a creative musician has recorded/produced albums in jazz, popular, Hawaiian, Open Flow Jazz, and Exotica genres. A progenitor and promoter of marginalized music, his Exotica/Tiki side project, The WAITIKI 7, was profiled by NPR Morning Edition, Global Village, Mother Jones, Giant Robot, and others, and has performed with pops orchestras. His Open Flow Jazz project Red Nova is the 2024 artist-in-residence at The BoxJelly.

In his free time, Randy gives back, serving as Vice Chair for the League of American Orchestras’ Youth Orchestra Division and volunteering with Hawai‘i Public Radio/Generation Listen. He mentors to first-generation immigrant college students through ‘A‘li‘i Mentoring, has guided high school students from the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders (Hawai‘i), and supports graduate students at Harvard University and New England Conservatory as an alumni mentor.

Randy has been a member of leadership cohorts at the League of American Orchestras, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the American Express Leadership Academy.

Prior to HYS, Randy was program director & information architect for the Music-in-Education National Consortium, and faculty & staff at New England Conservatory. He holds an Ed. M (Arts in Education) from Harvard University and a performance degree (with honors) from New England Conservatory.

Randy Wong, Joe Stepec, and the HYS Board of Directors 2023–24 24 | HYS ADMINISTRATION

Celebrating our 59th season!

Mahalo to Our Donors

Hawaii Youth Symphony appreciates these contributions made between July 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024. All attempts to create a complete and accurate list have been made, however, errors and omissions are possible!

We apologize for any errors and request that you kindly let us know. Please feel free to contact Cyrinthia Decker, Development Coordinator, at cyrinthia@ hiyouthsymphony.org. Thank you very much for your support of Hawaii Youth Symphony!

CONDUCTORS’ CIRCLE $50,000 & up City & County of Honolulu Maurice and Joanna Sullivan Family Foundation Stephen and Gloria Gainsley PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE $10,000 to $49,999 Anonymous Aaron and Erica Mau-Schank ABC Stores Altres, Inc. Cades Foundation Carnegie Hall (PlayUSA) Dr. Eileen Exton George Mason Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation John R. Halligan Charitable Fund Kwaksangro Charity Foundation Ms. Lauren Yoo Louise and Y. T. Lum Foundation Serendipity II Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation Sheridan and Julia Ing Family Foundation and Richard Ing The Arthur and Mae Orvis Foundation The Vilcek Foundation Thomas and Mi Kosasa Waikiki Shopping Plaza ANGEL’S CIRCLE $5,000 to $9,999 Anonymous Action Realty Corporation Avalon Commercial, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Okimoto Ms. Cathy Monseur Ms. Dorothy Mason First Hawaiian Bank Foundation Foundation for an Engaged Pacific Fred Baldwin Memorial Fund FundDevelopment Group Mrs. Gladys Hirano Hawaii Community Foundation 2024 Spring Concert Series

John & Clifford Mirikitani Foundation Johnson Ohana Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Kent Tsukamoto Mr. & Ms. Mitchell Imanaka Pacific Property Group, Inc. Mr. Randy Wong and Dr. Helen Liu Wong State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Mr. and Mrs. Steven Katzman The Resort Group Trinity Real Estate Investments LLC BENEFACTOR $2,500 to $4,999 Anonymous Alan & JoAnn Arizumi Ben and Mirium Lau Foundation Governor and Mrs. Benjamin Cayetano and Ms. Ginny Tiu Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Gushiken Central Pacific Bank Foodland Super Market, Ltd. Island Insurance Foundation Mr. Lorrin Hirano Mr. & Mrs. Martin Hsia Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Wong The Dods Foundation The Ebbtide Family Fund PATRON $1,000 to $2,499 Anonymous Mr. Barney Brennan and Mrs. Autumn Woods Ms. Beth Tamayose Mr. Blane and Zelah Yamagata Mr. and Mrs. Byungki Koo Mr. and Mrs. Chad Sakumoto Mr. Collin Hoo Mr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Katayama Mr. Daniel & Mia Kim Ms. Darlene Abt Mr. and Mrs. David Imanaka Mr. and Mrs. James Umino

Jaqueline Ingamells Mrs. Jennie Tamashiro Mrs. Joyce Torrey Ms. Kristen Bronner Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm S. Koga Merril Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, and Smith, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Michael Onofrietti Dr. Patrick Ferguson Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dames Pikake Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Randal Furomoto Mr. Randolph G. Moore & Dr. Lynne Johnson Mr. Robert Saracco Mr. Ross Murakami Mr. & Mrs. Steven Shimabukuro Mr. Terrence White The Tauchi Nishi Family Fund The Yamanaka Family SPONSOR $500 to $999 Anonymous Allen Murabayashi Ms. Ann K. Yoklavich Mr. Bill Holowecki Mrs. Carrie Oung Ms. Chelsea Maeda David and Amy Monk Mr. David Landis and Mr. Sean Dowdall Mrs. Dolores Bediones Elite Pacific Construction, Inc. Foodland Give Aloha Karen Takemoto Mr. Kenin Coloma Mr. and Mrs. Kerry Kim Dr. Lawerence Mordan Drs. Len Tanaka Ms. Mary E. Whitehead Meredith and Norma Meada Mr. and Mrs. Owen Fukumoto Mr. & Mrs. Rodney M. K. Pang Ms. and Mr. Sharon Himeno Dr. Steven and Izumi Rhee DONORS | 25

Donors (Continued) Drs. Wade Nobuhara Zachary Diionno PARTNER $250 to $499 Anonymous Mr. Alex Suenaga Ms. Kay Mattos Ms. Audrey Mueh Ms. Carolyn Ing Dr. and Mrs. Clifford Okumoto Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Cartoon Mr. David Hudson and Ms. Dana Kokubun David Jackson Dr. and Mrs. Donald Womack Mr. and Ms. Edward Laws Mr. Francis Calleon Mr. & Mrs. Frank Wei Dr. Gary Yap Dr. & Mrs. George I. Nagao George Wellington, Jr. Mr. Graham Seaton Drs. James Lin Mr. Joseph Conyers Mr. Justin V. Redona Mr. Larry T. Takumi Mr. Laurence B. Goldstein Ms. Leslie Baxter Eaton Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Hong Mr. Mark Verrey Mrs. Miyeko S. Hashimoto Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Momohara Ms. Paula Akana Mr. and Mrs. Randall Hee Robyn and Merilee Fong Mr. Seth Markow and Ms. Carolann Biederman Mr. & Mrs. Steven Wong Mrs. and Mr. Sujie Nam Hong Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams Dr. & Mrs. Tilden Osako Dr. and Mr. Vivien Tham Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Higuchi Mr. & Mrs. William E. Seehafer Mr. Yan Yang Gao and Ms. Iris Hu CONTRIBUTOR $100 to $249 Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Albert Oh Anabel Molina Ms. Annabelle Stone Ms. Andrea Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Akemoto Mr. Andrew Sung Ms. April K.Y. Leong Arcadia Retirement Residence 26 | DONORS

Ms. Barbara J. Cargill Mr. and Mrs. Barry Kikuno Blake Nuibe Mr. & Mrs. Bob Fissell Mr. & Mrs. Brenda Teranishi Mr. Carl & Becky Ashizawa Ms. Carol Aki Mr. and Mrs. Charles Higa Mr. & Mrs. Chester Kaneshiro Mr. and Mrs. Chester J. Malins Ms. Cheryl Kojima Ms. Christine Camp Ms. Craigside Retirement Residence Mr. and Mrs. David Chan Dr. David Ross and Ms. Ann Castelfranco Mr. David Schulmeister and The Honorable Lea Crandall Ms. Debra Oxley Mr. Dennis Higashiguchi Mr. Elton Masaki Mr. Eric Chang Mr. & Mrs. Frank Hook Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hokada Ms. Fumiko Wellington Mr. & Mrs. George Masaki Mr. Gregory Sitar Mr. Henry Miyamura & Ms. Elizabeth Coraggio Mr. and Mrs. Ian Carlson Mr. & Mrs. Ivan Morita Mr. James F. Moffitt Mrs. Jane Kikawa Ms. Jean Kirschenmann Ms. Jeannette M. Omoto Dr. Jeffrey Lim Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Lucero Ms. Joan Doike Dr. Jodi Goh Dr. John and Carol Lynch Mr. & Mrs. John Hunt Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Lyau Mr. John Mirikitani Mr. Joe Stepec Mr. and Mrs. Jun Kobayashi Karyn Komatsu Mrs. Kealani Gillis Mr. Keita Hirashima Mr. & Mrs. Keith Muraoka Mr. & Mrs. Kendrick Y. Au Mr. and Ms. Kenneth Jim

Mr. Kent Koike Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Taira Mr. Lance Oba Laura Baker Lauren Chun Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence So Leah Lee Lealei Magat-Hino Ms. Leanne Lum Mrs. Leslie Ikawa Mrs. Lila Yee Ms. Linda Hattemer Mrs. Lorraine Ferrer Mrs. Louise Y. Wong Lucky Tree Fund Mr. and Mrs. Ly Nguyen Lynette Roster Mr. Lynn Chang and Dr. Lisa Wong Dr. Lynn Tanoue Ms. Martha Child Ms. Mary Ann Kobayashi Dr. and Mrs. Masayuki Nogi Mr. & Mrs. Merwyn Lee Mr. Michael Stitch and Ms. Louise Ing Mr. and Mrs. Miles Kamimura Mr. and Ms. Monsicha Dinh Myrtle Kaneshiro Mrs. Nancy D. White Dr. Nina Hayashi One Kalakaua Senior Living Mrs. Pam Verrey Ms. Paula Ho Mr. and Mrs. Paul McGillicuddy Mr. Phillip Thompson and Dr. Jean Shein Mrs. Phyllis Wong Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fong Mr. Richard Scerbo Mr. & Mrs. Robert Choy Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schornstheimer Dr. and Mrs. Robert Wiemer Ms. Rochelle Uchibori Mr. & Mrs. Roy Masaki Mrs. Ruth Oshiro Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Batt Mr. Sam Aiona Mr. and Mrs. Sean Smith Shinnyo-En Hawaii Mr. Stanley Wong Mr. & Mrs. Steven Xiao Ms. Suellen Barton Ms. Susan Imai Ms. Susan Lampe Ms. Suzanne Sato Mr. Tom & Marie Newman Dr. and Mr. Thomas Gimber The Young Family Fund Celebrating our 59th season!

Mr. & Mrs. Ulrich K. Stams Mr. & Mrs. Van M. Goto Dr. Vernon and Joyce Wong Ms. Winfred & Lauren Inouye Mr. and Mrs. Yoshinori Enomoto Yumiko Sumiye

Dr. Luis Ponce Mrs. María Ramos Mr. & Mrs. Michael Lyman Mr. & Mrs. Michael Miyagi Mrs. Nancy Nishimura Ms. Naomi Lyum Ms. Nola Nahulu Pledgeling Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Ralf Kaiser Mr. Raymond S. Tabata Mr. & Mrs. Robert Springer Mr. Rod Aveiro Mr. Ron Sumida Ms. Ruby Arii Ms. Ruby Shimabukuro Mr. Ryan Kawana and Ms. Margaret Arakaki Ms. Sara Lin Mr. and Mrs. Scott Wiemer Ms. Shannon Cleary Mr. & Mrs. Shinogu Sato Mr. Stanley Wong Ms. Stephanie Hsu Mr. Terry Arista The Black Baud Giving Fund/ Promega Mr. & Mrs. Todd Sakuda Tracy Lynne Fernando Mr. William Schoen and Ms. Michelle Comeau

FRIEND Up to $99 Anonymous Ms. Aileen Gushiken Mr. & Mrs. Akio Crandall Mr. and Ms. Al Harjati Mr. Alejandro Arcos Dr. Alejandro Loor Mr. Alvin and Karen Fuse Ms. Anne Lee Mrs. Arlene Y. Hiu Miss Ayari Tochika Betty Ohigashi Mr. Biswajit Bhattacharjee Ms. BJ Taum Brandon Kamigaki Mr. and Mrs. Brian Walther Camaron Inoue Mr. and Mrs. Chalermchai Phansaithong Mrs. Cori Mackie Mrs. Cyrinthia Decker Mr. and Mrs. Dan Miyamoto Dr. & Mrs. Daniel Murai Gifts in-Kind Mr. David Kamida Anonymous Ms. Diane Morimoto Aaron and Erica Mau-Schank Mr. Dustin Ebesu Art Deakins Mr. Ernest Kobayashi Bar Maze Dr. and Mrs. E. Richard Bartosik, Ben Franklin Crafts Jr. Big City Diner Mr. Evan Yamamoto Blind Ox Mr. Frederick Harris Dr. George Chu & Ms. Diane Wong Calvin & Susie Christopher M. Cabrera Mr. Gerald Young Circular Fashion Hawaii Ms. Gladys H. Young Consolidated Theatres Mr. Glenn Fernandez Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel Mr. and Ms. Howard Jr Kim Daily Whisk Matcha Mrs. Jacqueline Jimenez Dancing Cat Productions, Inc. Jasmine Nip-Palmer Diamond Head Theatre Dr. Javier Manrique Duke's Waikiki Mr. Jeffrey Wismeth and Dr. Christina Hines Gentle Beast Flower Ms. JoAnn Maruoka Halekulani Corporation Joanne Huber Hawaii Potters Guild Dr. and Mrs. John Devlin Hawaii Symphony Orchestra Judith A. Mick Kahala Shirts Ms. Julia Fujioka Kailua Acupuncture Clinic Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Hashi Kaimuki Shokudo Ms. Kimberly Schneider Mr. and Mrs. Kent Tsukamoto Miss Kimi Nakagawa Mr. Kenneth Fink and Ms. Robin Kobayashi Leighton and Sonya Yara Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Taira Ms. Linda Katsuki Ko Hana Distillers Mr. Lloyd Lim 2024 Spring Concert Series

Ko Olina Golf Club La Bettola Waikiki Lauren Sergent Lion Coffee Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club McKinley Car Wash Mr. Michael Lim and Dr. Yuseon Nam Moke's Bread & Breakfast Morton's The Steakhouse Music Center of Hawaii MW Restaurant Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Pint and Jigger Pure Joy Day Spa SKY Waikiki The Palace Hotel The Paperie Mr. and Mrs. Peter Shaindlin Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ing Mr. Randy Wong and Dr. Helen Liu Wong The Twin Fin Tradition Coffee Roasters Vive Hotel Waikiki Waikele Golf Club Watanabe Floral, Inc. Yoga Room Hawaii Yukio Ozaki Tributes Ms. Blake Nuibe In Honor of Jake Shimabukuro Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Kayatama In Honor of Cody Nakagawa Mr. and Mrs. Edward Laws In Honor of Richard Ing Mrs. Jennie Tamashiro In Honor of Aya Okimoto and Ginny Tiu Mr. & Mrs. Kendrick Y. Au In Memory of Geoffrey Au Kwaksangro Charity Foundation In Honor of Hannah Kwak Mr. and Mrs. Randall Hee In Memory of Dr. Neil McKay Robyn and Merilee Fong In Honor of Mary C. Fong Ms. Nola Nahulu In Memory of Dr. Neil McKay

DONORS | 27

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