Our 50th Anniversary Celebration begins with our gala fundraiser,

He Makana O Na Mele: The Gift of Music, on Sunday, November 23!

We would really appreciate your donation of an item for our Silent Auction, or crafts

& baked goods for our Country Store!

1110 University Ave., #200 Honolulu, HI 96826-1598

(808) 941-9706 • www.HiYouthSymphony.org

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PAIDHonolulu, HI

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Celebrating 50 Years of Serving Hawaii’s Youth � rough Music

Hawaii Youth Symphony NewsletterLearn • Perform • GrowSummer/Fall 2014

...of Celebrating 50 Years of Serving Hawaii’sYouth

� rough MusicNOTESAVE THESE DATES!FREE YSII Community ConcertWith Hawaii Youth Opera ChorusSun., October 19, 5:00 pmKawaiahao Church

He Makana O Na Mele: The Gift of Music Gala FundraiserYSI with Special Guest: MAKANASun., November 23, 2014, 4:30 pmHilton Hawaiian Village

Symphony Program Winter Concert(YSI, YSII, CO)Sun., December 7, 2014, 4:00 PMNeil Blaisdell Concert Hall

FREE Symphony Program Listen & Learn Concerts(YSI, YSII, CO)December 8-10, 2014 (Details at HYS website)Neil Blaisdell Concert Hall

FREE Academy Winter Concert(BSE, ISE, SOE, CSO)Sat., December 14, 2014, 3:00 PMKaimuki High School Auditorium

FREE YSI Maui Community Concert(Part of our Maui Tour)Mon., February 16, 2015, 4:00 pmMaui Arts & Cultural Center

FREE YSI Maui Listen & Learn Concerts(Part of our Maui Tour)Tue., February 17, 2015Maui Arts & Cultural Center

FREE YSII Community ConcertWith Hawaii Youth Opera ChorusSun., February 22, 2015, 5:00 pmKawaiahao Church

FREE CO Community ConcertSun., March 1, 2015, 2:00 pmAla Moana Shopping Center

FREE YSI Spring Community Concertwith Special Guests Conrad Tao, piano & Ignace Jang, violinSun., April 12, 2014 4:00 pmNeil Blasidell Concert Hall

FREE YSII/CO Spring ConcertSun., April 19, 2015, 4:00 pmRoosevelt High School Auditorium

FREE Academy Spring ConcertSat., April 25, 2015, 2:00 pmKaimuki High School Auditorium

Aloha Concert LuncheonYSI & YSII, with Special Guests: The Brothers CazimeroSun., May 17, 2015, 11:30 amHilton Hawaiian Village

FREE Alumni Chamber Music ConcertFri., June 5, 2015, 6:00 pmHawaii State Art Museum, 2nd Floor

HYS to Celebrate 50 Years This Season!The 2014-15 season marks Hawaii Youth Symphony’s Golden Anniversary—our 50th Season!

Since HYS’s non-profi t status was granted in 1964, HYS has become one of Hawaii’s top musical treasures —and one of the nation’s largest independently-operated youth symphony organizations.

Our 50th Anniversary Celebration kicks off on November 23, 2014! Special guest artist MAKANA—the internationally-acclaimed guitarist,

singer, and composer —will join Maestro Henry Miyamura & Youth Symphony I as entertainment for our annual gala fundraiser, HE MAKANA O NA MELE: THE GIFT OF MUSIC, at Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Coral Ballroom. Makana’s music has appeared on three Grammy-nominated albums and was the soundtrack to the Academy Award-winning fi lm, The Descendents. Proceeds from the fundraiser support HYS!

Later in the season, HYS students will perform alongside winners from the Aloha International Piano Festival; Hawaii Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Ignace Jang &

internationally-renowned pianist Conrad Tao; The Brothers Cazimero; and will perform newly-commissioned works. Every concert will be a blockbuster; please stay tuned for more details! ♫

Hawaii Youth Symphony Association

HYS Needs Your Help!

Remembering the Early Days of HYSHYS began as a single orchestra,

known as the Honolulu Youth Symphony Orchestra (HYSO), and was originally established in 1954 with the help of the Honolulu Junior Chamber of Commerce. HYSO performed its early concerts in the auditoriums at Roosevelt High School and Farrington High School, under the direction of George Wellington, Sr. In October 1961, Peter Mesrobian joined HYSO as conductor, and by December 24, 1964, HYS had been granted its non-profi t status. In those years, the orchestra was comprised of 80 students from 17 Oahu schools, ages 12-17 years old.

HYS’s fi rst concert following its incorporation was on June 9, 1964 at McKinley High School Auditorium. The concert featured Joaquin Diago, a Cuban-born violinist who was a professor of

music theory in Havana and who had performed in the Havana Philharmonic Orchestra since he was age seventeen. His bio noted that he came to Hawaii “as a Cuban exile with bullet scars as phsycal testimony to his fi ght for freedom.” The Youth Symphony, conducted by Mr. Mesrobian, performed music by Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Vaughn-Williams, Johann Strauss, and Saint-Saens. At the end of its fi rst full season, HYS presented a Concerto Concert with Henry Miyamura guest conducting Weber’s ‘Concertino in E-fl at for Clarinet and Orchestra’; Glenn Uejio, then a senior at Kalani High School, was clarinet soloist.

By 1966, the Hawaii Junior Orchestra was formed for the purpose of providing orchestral experience for young musicians who could one day become members of HYS. Under the direction of Mr.

Harold Higa, the Junior Orchestra expanded from a strings-only ensemble to a full symphony orchestra, and shortly therafter, HYS increased in size from 80 students to over 190. ♫

POPULAR AUCTION ITEMS:• Restaurant or Store Gift Cards• Hotel or Vacation Packages• Special Opportunities or• Recreational/Family Activities• Wine

POPULAR COUNTRY STORE ITEMS:• Brownies, cookies• Snack mix• Crafts, jewelry• Small pieces of art

Silent Auction items or non-perishable Country Store items may be brought to the HYS offi ce, now through Friday, November 7, 2014. Perishable items may be dropped off to HYS on Friday, November 21 or on the day of the event. Proceeds from the fundraiser help us to

keep HYS tuition affordable, and supports all of our many programs. Mahalo for your support!

Please contact HYS at 941-9706 or Admin@HiYouthSymphony.org if you have any questions.

NOTENOTE

Letter from theExecutive DirectorDear HYS Friends,

Since I came to HYS in March 2012, I have been continually inspired by

the extraordinary music, hard work, and committment that HYS students put towards developing their musical ambitions and potential. With every rehearsal, practice session, coaching, or concert, these youth are actively making important investments in the evolution of their musical, cognitive, personal, relational, and other intelligences—skills that will last them their entire lives. With caring mentors like their parents & families, their school music teachers, HYS conductors, and private instructors, I know these students can eventually achieve everything of which they can dream.

It’s both humbling, and an honor, to consider that HYS has been an integral part of thousands of students’ musical lives for the past 50

years. In preparation for this milestone year, I have spent many hours in the HYS archives, studying materials that date back to the mid-1950s —even preceeding HYS’s incorporation as a 501(c)3. Of course it’s great fun to see all the names of those who participated, to see old advertisements in the programs, and to see how concert repertoire has evolved (or stayed the same) over the years.

But the most striking thing to me is the commitment HYS has kept towards serving our community at large; from its inception

through to our modern day. Many of the things for which we were known � � y years ago are still important, de� ning aspects of who we are today, and how we serve Hawaii. We’re known for our free community concerts; our free Listen & Learn School Concerts; and our neighbor island community service tours. Countless newspaper articles and even an announcer’s script from a 1963 TV show emphasize that HYS made a di� erence back then, via its concerts “performed BY youth, FOR youth.” Not only do we still perform these concerts today; but they are some of our students’ favorites to play! � ese community commitments are an important part of who we are.

As we set forth in our 50th Anniversary Season, we are also beginning to lay the foundation for our next � � y years. � e

Board, music sta� , and administration have been engaging in exercises to help me cra� our next Strategic Plan. All of us at HYS are incredibly grateful for the support, goodwill, and friendship you’ve given us over the past � � y years. � ank you and I hope to see you during our 50th Anniversary Season!

Executive Director & HYS ‘99

Summer/Fall 2014 • Page 2 HYS: Serving Hawaii’s Youth Through Music for 50 Years HYS: Serving Hawaii’s Youth Through Music for 50 Years

Our NOTEWorthy Challenge Takes Place in September!

HYS will kick-off its season in the month of September with our annual NOTEWorthy Challenge. The Challenge is powered

by a $20,000 dollar-for-dollar matching grant from The George Mason Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation, which means that HYS will have the potential to raise over $40,000! Donations must be made by September 30 to count towards the Challenge. Donate online at http://HiYouthSymphony.org/donate-now.

For an even greater impact, Foodland and the Western Union Foundation will also match donations up to $249 as part

of their GiveAloha program. Use code #77060 at the register to make sure your money goes to HYS. If you do participate in GiveAloha, please send your Foodland or SackNSave receipts to HYS (1110 University Ave., Suite 200, Honolulu, HI 96826-1598) so that we can make sure your gift is properly acknowledged. Thank you for considering a donation to HYS! ♫

Pacifi c Music Institute was a blast!

This summer’s Pacifi c Music Institute, held July 11-20, 2014, had the highest enrollment in twenty years—nearly 130 students in grades 8-12 came to improve their musical “chops”, make new friends, and learn tons of music. Highlights from this summer’s PMI included a conducting

class with Mr. Miyamura; both a faculty and student chamber music recital; a surprise visit by HYS alumnus Ben Reitveld (bassist with Santana and Miles Davis); a special masterclass with visiting trumpeter Joe Foley (of the Boston Pops & faculty member at New England Conservatory); and last, but not least, really ASTOUNDING concerts by the Concert Band, String Orchestra, Jazz Band, Symphony Orchestra, and the Combined Finale orchestra.

Alumni Hannah Watanabe (violin), Aris Doike (cello), Matt Love (bass), Lynn Muramaru (fl ute), Lynne Nakaura (clarinet), Michael Yoshimi (clarinet), Curtis Noborikawa (clarinet), Susan Ochi-Onishi (oboe), Derek Fujio (oboe), Sharon Nakama (oboe), KeAnuenue

Hayashi (trombone), Rory Onishi (horn), and Ira Wong (percussion/jazz band) all served as clinicians. They were joined by Hawaii Symphony musicians Dr. Helen Liu (violin), Colin Belisle (viola), Ken Hafner (trumpet), Paul Barrett (bassoon), Marie Lickwar (horn), and Dr. T.J. Ricer (low brass); UH professor Dr. I-Bei Lin (cello); and renowned music educator Kazu Sunabe (saxophone). Conductors Henry Miyamura, Derrick Yamane, Elton Masaki, and Hannah Watanabe conducted the large ensembles. ♫

Summer/Fall 2014 • Page 5

HYS programs are supported by the City & County of Honolulu and the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Hawai‘i State Legislature.

Welcome to Our New Board Members!Please join HYS in welcoming two new members to our Board of

Directors: Mr. Alan Arizumi and Mr. Nathan Hokama.

An alumnus of HYS (trumpet), Alan Arizumi is a Vice Chairman of First Hawaiian Bank and Manager of the Wealth Management and Consumer Banking Groups. He also serves on several boards: KCAA Preschools of Hawaii, Enterprise Honolulu, Kuakini Medical Center, Kuakini Health Systems, The Nature Conservancy,& the McKinley High School Foundation.

Nathan Hokama’s professional background is in public relations & communications, and has worked for Tesoro Hawaii. Mr. Hokama now runs his own PR/communications fi rm, Strategic Communication Solutions and serves on the advisory council of Hawaii Meals on Wheels. He is a member of the Public Relation Society of America. Mr. Hokama was named the PRSA Gregg W. Perry Public Relations Professional of the Year in 2008 and has had 5 daughters in HYS.

Spring Concert-Mania!

A SUPER JOB by ALL students in ALL programs! It was so inspiring to hear the progress that was made in the last year. HYS Spring

Concerts occurred on April 13, 26, & 27, 2014, at Pearl City Cultural Center, Roosevelt High School Auditorium, and Kaimuki High School Auditorium, respectively. A special shout-out to our guest artists, Jonathan Korth and Babasango for incredibly virtuosic performances.

CONGRATS to our EXTRAORDINARY Music Staff! Academy & Clubhouse Programs—Joy Waikoloa, Wayne Fanning, Joan Doike, Helen Fong, Chad Uyehara, and Charlotte Fukumoto. Symphony Program—Henry Miyamura, Derrick Yamane, Elton Masaki, Susan Ochi-Onishi, Hannah Watanabe.

YSI performed Neil McKay’s

“Bop-A-Deedle, “ written for Sango and HYS in 2002. The piece is a light-hearted work with rhythms based in the ‘samba’ tradition.

Composer Neil McKay, Henry Miyamura, and Percussionist Babasango

Concert Orchestra, conducted by Susan Ochi-Onishi & Hannah Watanabe