Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds to be performed in free public and school concerts on Kaua‘i

Performance highlights tradition and conservation

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Takuma Itoh, (808) 956-9507
Associate Professor, Music
Julia Diegmann
Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project
Posted: Feb 19, 2020

The performance includes hula specially composed for the project.
The performance includes hula specially composed for the project.
Music for the Symphony is composed by UH professors including Takuma Itoh.
Music for the Symphony is composed by UH professors including Takuma Itoh.

The Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds will be performed for the first time on Kaua‘i on February 23 and 24 at the Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center. The Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds is a one-of-a-kind work that celebrates the unique birds of Hawai’i by bringing together music, art, animation, science, and hula, created by Hawai‘i-based composers, artists, scientists, and educators. The concerts are free and open to the public.

The Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds has been performed in front of more than 10,000 students on O‘ahu, but this is the first time the work will be performed on Kaua‘i. “If we could get every fourth-grade class learning the hula, learning the science, learning the music, and attending the symphony every year, that would be a dream come true,” said Melissa Price, project coordinator and assistant professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at UH Mānoa.

Free for Students and Community

The free public concert on February 23 is a joint performance of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Wind Ensemble and the Kauaʻi CC Wind Symphony. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. for the 4:00 event. Two additional performances of the concert by the UH Mānoa Wind Ensemble are scheduled for February 24, with more than 1,000 Kaua‘i students grades 4–12 from Kekaha to Kīlauea registered to attend at 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. A few seats remain for the 10:45 a.m. concert if any homeschool families/communities are interested in attending. Those interested can contact symphonyofhawaiianbirds@gmail.com to ask about seating availability.

Student artwork will also be displayed during the concerts. The theme is “Mālama Hawaiian Forest Birds!” with a focus on Kaua‘i’s birds. “This is a wonderful learning experience for the students, and it should likely be a great thrill to see their work displayed on a big screen at the concert in front of their peers,” said Takuma Itoh, associate professor of Music at UH Mānoa and one of the composers.

Learn and Prepare for the Concert

A Kaua‘i-specific curriculum has been developed as a tool for teachers to further deepen the dialogue with the students about Kaua‘i-specific challenges in conservation. “We are excited to be able to share this curriculum free of charge as a part of our outreach materials with the public,” said Lisa Crampton, leader of the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project, a co-host of the events. She notes, “It is available to all interested parties on our website.” 

This event has been made possible through a collaboration between the UH Mānoa Wind Ensemble, the Kauaʻi CC Wind Symphony at the Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center, and the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project. The event is co-sponsored by the Kaua‘i CC, Kaua‘i Office of Economic Development and Corteva AgriSciences.

More Information

Vanished Voices: A Farewell to the ʻŌʻōhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxfbmQ47-OM

Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds merges science, education, music and art: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaMbZJDOC_I&feature=youtu.be

Photoshttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gKZ1zXUeFHnCKBa4bReoEpRZxM-GZBDP