INTERGENERATIONAL CELEBRATION REIMAGINES BEETHOVEN’S LEGACY
In March, students from HYS’ Youth SymphonyI, Concert String Orchestra, Music in the Clubhouse Honolulu’s Ukulele Class and the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra participated in a groundbreaking collaboration that bridged generations of musicians and music. The unique Side-by-Side concert was held at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, offering free admission for guests to take in the enthralling conclusion of HSO’s Beethoven Festival
Under the direction of HYS Director of Orchestral Activities Maestro Joseph Stepec, the Sideby-Side orchestra performed Michael-Thomas Foumai’s Elysium: Fanfares on Themes from the Beethoven Symphonies, and under the direction of Maestro Dane Lam, performed excerpts from Dmitri Shostakovich’s landmark Symphony No. 5 in D minor.
“I love seeing young talent and learners really passionate about making music together,” said Helen Liu, HSO violinist. “It’s a symbiotic relationship: students learn by doing, and we [professionals] learn by teaching. It’s a great opportunity.”
What set this Side-by-Side apart from the others was full community collaboration that united performers across the entire spectrum of musical development—from elementary school
keiki, to accomplished high school musicians, to professional performers.
“It inspired me to be like them, to practice more, and become like a professional,” Noah Swan, Concert String Orchestra violinist.
For the first time ever, students from HYS’s entrylevel classes had the opportunity to participate in a Side-by-Side. Many musicians start their journey by learning to play Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” on the recorder, violin, or ʻukulele, but many could never have imagined that their introductory music class would take them to the stage, with a professional symphony orchestra.
By reimagining Beethoven’s work through a contemporary lens and bringing together performers of all ages, HYS not only celebrates the legendary composer’s contributions to classical music, but demonstrates how his legacy can inspire new forms of musical expression through both intercultural and intergenerational community engagement.
HAW
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
As we continue celebrating Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony’s 60th anniversary, we reflect on the incredible progress the organization has made over the years.
Musicʻs ability to build lifelong relationships that drive social change are evidenced by the projects that are brought into this world by our alumni and colleagues: like the founding of ʻOhana Arts by Jenny Taira ʻ97 & Laurie Rubin-Taira, or the effervescence of Michael-Thomas Foumai ʻ05ʻs “Elysium.”
This spring, our three symphony orchestras also debut new works in honor of our 60th Anniversary, commissioned by our Keiko M. Sato Fund for New Music, composed by Justin Park ʻ22, Dr. Byon Yasui, and Dr. Takuma Itoh.
As HYS advances its own learning journey, we will continue to expand the ways we can serve Hawaiiʻs youth as a community resource. From helping young musicians seek college & career pathways to rolemodeling service learning and mentorship, each interaction has the potential to inspire youth in new ways.
HIRANO OHANA MATCHING CHALLENGE
We invite all of you to join us in these final concerts of our season, and pay it forward by making a contribution by June 30. We are honored by our board secretary Lorrin Hirano ʻ77 and his siblings (Riki, Joy, Gregg) for their familyʻs commitment to HYS. All gifts will be matched dollarfor-dollar, up to $25,000, by the Hirano Ohanaʻs fund in memory of their mother, Gladys Hirano. Please and thank you for your consideration!
RANDY WONG President & CEO, HYS ‘99
CONNECTING MUSIC CLASSROOMS WITH PLAYUSA: HAWAIʻI AND JUNEAU COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
With support from Carnegie Hall’s PlayUSA initiative, students from HYS’ Music In The Clubhouse program in Nānākuli participated in a musical exchange with students from the Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM) program in Juneau, Alaska. Connected through a Zoom call, the students shared songs from each of their local cultures: Hawaiian and Lingít.
“Opportunities like this give students a sense of community that extends beyond just what they are experiencing in the classroom,” said HYS Programs Director Hannah Watanabe. “Although we live in very different climates and communities, the students found commonalities in things they enjoyed doing outside of school and curiosity in language, cultural activities and music. It was very heartwarming to see students connecting over music and a love of food!”
Like HYS, JAMM is a non-profit organization which uses music as a vehicle for social change. Its programs use music to develop youth resiliency, teamwork and selfconfidence, which inspires, empowers and strengthens communities. JAMM serves over 600 students across three elementary schools and one secondary school within the Juneau School District, helping them to reach their fullest potential.
“Geographically, many JAMM students are unable to leave Juneau because it is only accessible by boat or plane— just like Hawaiʻi,” said JAMM Executive Director Meghan Johnson. “Partnerships between JAMM and HYS are important because our students share the experience of living in places that uplift the indigenous culture and language. Alaskan Native peoples have been connected to Hawaiian communities for hundreds of years; so it is natural for JAMM and HYS to bring our young people, with a shared history and similar life experience, together.”
Through the sharing of songs and stories, the collaboration and exchange provided an opportunity for us to build pilina (connection) with a community thousands of miles away through the universal language of music, while serving as a reminder of the role music plays in the perpetuation of culture and connection.
WE ENVISION A HAWAI
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
Martin Hsia, Esq.
David Imanaka, Esq.
Richard Ing
Malcolm Lau
Michael Onofrietti
Aaron Salā
Jake Shimabukuro
Jean Tsukamoto
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Randy Wong, President & CEO
Rachel Schultz, Chief Operating Officer
Hannah Watanabe, Programs Director
Lauren Sergent, Operations Manager
Brent Ramos, Office Receptionist
Cyrinthia Decker, Development Coordinator
SYMPHONY PROGRAM
Joseph Stepec, Director & Conductor (YSI)
Elton Masaki, Conductor (YSII)
Susan Ochi-Onishi, Conductor (YSII)
Wayne Fanning, Conductor (CO)
ACADEMY STRING PROGRAM
Jeff Hamano, Summer Strings
Stefanie Lawton, BSE
Michael Lim, Conductor (SOE & CSO)
Brent Ramos, Coordinator
Carissa Miyamoto, BSE & ISE
Sayuri Yamamoto, BSE
Laurie Shimabukuro, Super Strings
JAZZ PROGRAM
Dean Taba, Director
Ryan Howe, Conductor
Noel Okimoto, Conductor
PACIFIC MUSIC INSTITUTE
Jeremy Lawi, General Manager
Joseph Stepec, Artistic Director
Ignace Jang, Solo & String Quartet
Dean Taba, Jazz
Richard Scerbo, Director of NOI+F
MUSIC IN THE CLUBHOUSE & COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
Veronica Cox, Music4Kids – Nānākuli
Daniel Kawaiʻaeʻa Shaver, Nānākuli Strings
Abe Lagrimas Jr., Music4Kids – Honolulu
denotes HYS Alumni
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
JENNY TAIRA, HYS ‘97, CO-FOUNDER OF OHANA ARTS
Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony has played a crucial role in cultivating support for the arts across the islands and beyond. Understanding the impact of the arts in their own lives, many HYS alumni have gone on to pursue careers in music, advocate for integrating the arts within our local schools and wider communities, and donate time or funds to arts-related causes. A couple of them have even established their own organizations to provide additional arts programming for keiki here in Hawaiʻi.
Jenny Taira is a composer, pianist and clarinetist, who grew up in Mililani. After high school, she went on to study music at Northwestern University and Yale University, then received her MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. Throughout the years, she has performed extensively throughout the U.S., playing iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Philharmonic Hall in Brasov Transylvania, and more.
“Music teaches students discipline, accountability, what it means to be part of a team, and most importantly, what it feels like to deeply connect with others through art—no matter our differences,” said Jenny. “It truly is a universal language that promotes peace and harmony, and as a society, we need this more than ever.”
Jenny, along with Cari Taira and Laurie Rubin, envisioned a place that would add to the rich arts landscape here in Hawaiʻi, where youth could receive high-quality training and performance opportunities with highly-accomplished and successful artists from around the country. In 2010, Ohana Arts was born. The organization started as a summer program at the Hongwanji Mission School that had students rehearse for a musical theatre production with professional- caliber sets and costumes. In only its second summer, enrollment tripled. Now, in its 15th anniversary year, Ohana Arts has expanded to offer instruction in the spring, summer, and fall!
“There are no set rules about what musical path you should be on. My playing the clarinet in orchestras has helped me as a composer, a music director, and as a teacher,” she said. “I would tell students entering a new stage of their education not to be afraid. Follow your heart and create your own path.”
We congratulate Ohana Arts on this remarkable milestone and remain inspired by our alumni, who contribute to our community and continue to advocate for the arts.
OUTREACH EFFORTS ON OʻAHU & MAUI
HYS seeks to make music and music education accessible for keiki throughout all of Hawaiʻi by conducting outreach in communities across Oʻahu and the neighbor islands. In 2018, the Orchestral Learning Alliance (OLA) was formed in partnership with the National Orchestral Institute + Festival (NOI+F) to provide high-level mentorship opportunities locally and provide equally beneficial teaching opportunities for music performance majors. Since its establishment, OLA has brought 25 NOI+F fellows—including some HYS alumni—to teach on Oʻahu, Maui and Molokaʻi as part of HYS’ Pacific Music Institute (PMI) summer intensive.
This February, HYS students and staff made their way to Maui for another one of HYS’ annual neighbor island tours. For the first time, they were joined by this year’s NOI+F fellows in their first engagement outside of PMI—a testament to the partnership’s continued growth. Over the course of 10 days, HYS held a total of 21 community outreach events across Maui and Oʻahu, including:
• A free concert at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC) featuring Youth Symphony I, the Jazz I ensemble and special guests Keola and Moanalani Beamer. The Beamers’ performance was generously supported by the Vilcek Foundation, with travel costs funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA);
• A narrated Listen & Learn program at the MACC, an educational concert presented by youth for youth, sponsored by the NEA and NOI+F;
• B# = C Success workshops on Oʻahu and Maui, which help students to prepare for life beyond high school and learn about career pathways in the arts. These workshops are possible through the support of sponsors including the Hawaii Community Foundation, Hawaii P20 and CollegeWithinReach.com;
Youth Symphony I performs with Keola and Moanalani Beamer in a community concert at the MACC