PMI 2023 Newsletter

PACIFIC MUSIC INSTITUTE 2023

Mahalo to all who joined us at McKinley High School last month for our 34th Pacific Music Institute. Whether you were a participant, faculty member, volunteer, staff member, concertgoer or community supporter of our summer intensive, your involvement helped to make this year even more successful than the last.

Students broadened their musical horizons in our Strings Program, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Intensive, Ukulele Workshop and Middle School All-State Band, all of which are led by distinguished faculty from some of the nation’s top music institutions.

With a total of 265 students, 41 instructors, five programs and 11 concerts, PMI 2023 was one of our largest camps yet! We were even thrilled to welcome 5 neighbor-island participants, a growing number that reflects our efforts and successes in making music education more accessible to keiki of all regions and communities throughout Hawaii, as well as 12 participants visiting from the continent.

Since the conclusion of PMI 2023, the state has been shaken by the devastating wildfires on Maui. We extend heartfelt thoughts and support to our neighbor-island HYS ohana, including Mauiborn PMI ukulele instructors, Kalaʻe and Kamaka Camarillo

In response to the current situation, Kalaʻe composed a song of encouragement for those affected titled “The Sands of Old Lahaina.” The song was played during HiSessions’ livestream fundraiser for the Valley Isle.

If you feel compelled to support our Maui community during these times of uncertainty, we encourage you to do so by donating to Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PARTNERSHIPS

Mahalo nui loa to our fantastic partner institutions, and many individual donors, whose generous philanthrophy makes a tremendous difference in our ability to make high caliber music education opportunities more accessible to all of Hawaii’s keiki. A special thank you to First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, Halekulani Corporation, the Pagoda Hotel, and Vibe Creative Marketing for all your help to make PMI a world-class summer program!

What incredible dedication and remarkable talent we saw at this year’s Pacific Music Institute! From the first day to our closing concerts, it was truly inspiring to see how far these students had come in just one week. As Hawaii’s premier training program for young musicians, PMI is a beautiful example of what can happen when we foster potential.

This year, we were fortunate to be able to provide our students with exceptional instruction from worldrenowned musicians who joined us from all over the nation. When PMI was first held in 1987, I don’t think anyone could have imagined it would eventually become what it has. It is amazing to see how PMI has expanded over the years—in programs, partnerships, regional involvement, faculty and the number of students served.

As you flip through these stories about PMI, please remember that all of this was possible as a result of your ongoing support. With your help, we hope to continue this kind of momentum for many years to come.

– RANDY WONG

THE ART OF REED-MAKING

Many woodwind players understand the importance of a good reed. Different types of reeds will affect a musician’s tone and pitch, and can even make the instrument easier or more difficult to play. For oboists and other double reed users in particular, it is crucial to have a reed that works well with each individual’s unique embouchure, air flow and instrument.

At PMI, oboists have the opportunity to learn how to make their own reeds, guided by masterful oboe instructors Susan Ochi-Onishi and Alex Hayashi; both of whom are HYS/PMI alumni. A skill often utilized by both amateur and professional oboists, reed-making allows each student to take ownership of their sound by constructing a tool that is perfectly tailored to their own needs.

“Reed making is an integral part of being an oboist. We spend as much time working on reeds as we do practicing [on the instrument],” said Hayashi. “This craft takes years of practice and experience, and it is a great practice in patience and analytical problem solving. PMI is one of the only opportunities throughout the year where students in Hawaii can receive indepth reed-making instruction.”

HYS subsidizes the costs of reed-making supplies for students who can’t afford them. The workshop has been offered for many years, with classes ranging from five to as many as twenty students. Learning the art of reed-making gives students a chance to level up their playing in a new and exciting way.

Randy Wong & Peter Shaindlin, COO of Halekulani Corporation

Alex Hayashi and PMI oboists making reeds

Mahalo to our PMI 2023 Staff!

EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL-STATE BAND

This year, exemplary incoming 7th, 8th and 9th graders were chosen from middle schools across Hawaii to participate in the PMI Middle School AllState Band. Every student is selected by their band director based on character, embodiment of school values and technical musical ability.

The All-State Band was established in partnership with the Oahu Band Directors Association and its MS Honor Band last year. Both ensembles create paths for young musicians who may not have known that a future in music was even an option for them.

“PMI builds bridges. Whether you’re in middle school or high school, you come from a band program with 10 or a program with 400—all of that doesn’t matter,” said PMI MSAB Conductor Wayne Fanning. “Everyone is given the same opportunity to make music with each other.”

PMI’s Middle School All-State Band provides a solid foundation for those who choose to pursue music beyond intermediate and high school, while growing the confidence needed to succeed in all aspects of life. This year’s PMI MSAB was composed of over 90 students from across Oʻahu. We aspire for the band to one day represent students statewide, as an HYS initiative that values accessibility, inclusivity and diversity.

BOARD & STAFF

HYS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Erica Mau-Schank

Vice Chair Lauren Yoo

Secretary Lorrin Hirano, Esq.

Treasurer Collin Hoo

Directors

Sharon R. Himeno

Marin Hsia, Esq.

David Imanaka, Esq.

Richard Ing

Patti Look

Malcolm Lau

Michael Onofrietti

Aaron Salā

Jake Shimabukuro

Jean Tsukamoto

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Randy Wong, President & CEO

Hannah Watanabe, Programs Manager

Carissa Miyamoto, Operations Manager

Brent Ramos, Office Receptionist & Academy Coordinator

Cyrinthia Richards, Development Coordinator

PACIFIC MUSIC INSTITUTE

Jeremy Lawi, General Manager

Kassi Hatakenaka, Admissions Coordinator

Joseph Stepec, Artistic Director

Ignace Jang, Solo & String Quartet

Dean Taba, Jazz

Richard Scerbo, Director of NOI+F

PMI STRINGS & SYMPHONY

Joseph Stepec, Symphony Conductor

Richard Scerbo, Symphony Conductor

Duane Padilla, Freestyle String Ensemble conductor

Brady Anderson

Eugene Chukhlov

Shawn Conley

Tim Daniels

Daniel Guevara

Kathy Hafner

Holly Jenkins

Khullip Jeung

Jisun Kang

Parry Karp

Clara Kim

Michael Lim

Dr. Helen Liu

Zoe Martin-Doike

Sorah Myung

Markus Osterland

Alexander Pena

Yani Quemado

Richard Scerbo

Igor Veligan

Vicky Wang

PMI WIND ENSEMBLE

Dr. Adam Kehl, Conductor

Richard Scerbo, Conductor

Christopher Cabrera

Alex Hayashi

David Hirano

Marie Lickwar

Tommy Morrison

PMI JAZZ INTENSIVE

Dean Taba

Steve Treseler

LEARNING AT A HISTORIC VENUE

The venue for this year’s PMI was President William McKinley High School (MHS), also known as Hawaii’s oldest public high school. For the past 150 years, MHS has provided high quality education to Hawaii’s keiki with the belief that every young person deserves to succeed. With values similar to those of HYS, the school’s principal was thrilled when he received the call to host PMI.

“We view it as an opportunity for students to get more live, hands-on experiences that would only enhance their love and playing of music,” said MHS Principal Ron Okamura. “It provides extra support for those students who are already playing or just learning to play an instrument. The caliber of instruction brings the very best out of those who participate.”

With a rich history of academic excellence and community involvement, MHS has demonstrated its continued commitment to the region it serves and all of Hawaii’s students. HYS is incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to partner with MHS in this mission to produce a fun and fulfilling experience for all participants.

“McKinley High School’s participation in this year’s PMI stems from its rich history of music education, advantageous central locations with excellent amenities, and a longstanding relationship with the Hawaii Youth Symphony,” said HYS Board Member and Alumna Lauren Yoo. “Programs like PMI and music education as a whole are of utmost importance due to their multifaceted benefits. They provide a platform for young students to immerse themselves in music, cultivating creativity and self-expression.”

Joseph Nakamoto

Parker Nakamura

Susan Ochi-Onishi

Ellie Rose

Melanie Yukumoto

PMI UKULELE WORKSHOP

Kala‘e Camarillo

Kamaka Camarillo

PMI MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL-STATE BAND

Wayne Fanning, Conductor

Guy Lum, Conductor

FOUR YEARS OF OLA, SOLO & STRING QUARTET, JAZZ INTENSIVE

In 2019, PMI went through a significant expansion with the addition of three new programs: the Orchestral Learning Alliance (OLA), Solo & String Quartet, and Jazz Intensive. Four years later, these unique programs have evolved to better fulfill the needs of our students and now play a crucial role in helping to define the PMI experience as a whole.

OLA is a partnership between HYS and the National Orchestral Institute + Festival, which brings together some of the world’s brightest and most celebrated artist faculty. It provides keiki with an opportunity to learn from and play with the best of the best.

“We really mapped out a deep collaboration for how our two institutions, Hawaii Youth Symphony and the National Orchestral Institute, could come together and create a mentorship program that sort of creates this full circle of mentorship—from young students here at PMI to NOI students here as teaching fellows, and we have faculty artists that are here mentoring our NOI teaching fellows,” said Richard Scerbo, Director of NOI+F. “I’m so excited by what we’ve accomplished and the number of students that have been touched by this big idea that we’ve come up with.”

The Solo & String Quartet program allows students to play in small ensembles—an experience that is not always available at school. This year, to ensure all students have an opportunity in both large and small groups, the SSQ and Symphony Orchestra program were combined into a cohesive Strings Program. This comprehensive instruction consists of daily rehearsals, sectionals and coaching sessions that allow students to take their skills to the next level.

“Experience in both small and large group settings are crucial to

the growth of every young musician,” said PMI Artistic Director Joe Stepec. “In addition to benefiting skills, smaller ensembles also provide each student with an opportunity to form closer connections with other participants than they would likely be able to in a large orchestra.”

One of the great facets of having a chamber music program is the ability for its small ensembles to perform in more intimate, community settings. Each year, PMI string students shared their music with residents at several of Honolulu’s senior living centers. This summer, they played at 15 Craigside, Arcadia, and One Kalakaua; and demonstrated the many ways that music can build relationships between generations.

To learn more about how HYS promotes an agefriendly society through music, visit our blog: www.hiyouthsymphony.org/music-buildsbridges-between-honolulus-generations/

PMI’s Jazz Intensive encourages and fosters creativity within young musicians who want to expand their horizons. Students receive daily instruction in jazz theory, improvisation, ensemble playing and performance techniques.

“While improvising as a group, students must decide for themselves when to step up and take the lead, when to follow and support another person’s choices, and even when to self-edit by letting the other musicians fully express the music,” said HYS Jazz & Combo I Director Dean Taba. “This happens throughout every measure and beat of an improvised performance and all musicians playing (or otherwise) must be fully engaged at all times in order for the music and the ensemble to attain its greatest potential.”

The convergence of these three programs creates a comprehensive summer music camp that caters to keiki with a variety of interests, while helping them to foster the skills they are truly passionate about.

Richard Scerbo with OLA Teaching Fellows Yani Quemado (left) & Daniel Guevara (right).

Students in the Strings Program rehearse for their chamber ensemble performance.

Jazz Intensive students perform their final concert.