A Paradise Lost, a documentary featuring an original score by Professor of Music Thomas Osborne, is now available for streaming on PBS.org. Written and directed by Laurie Sumiye, the film examines the plight of the Palila, a critically endangered native bird found only on the slopes of Mauna Kea. The soundtrack draws on the talents of local musicians, including Department …
UHM Ethnomusicology Represents at Performing Arts of Southeast Asia in Thailand
In July 2026, UH Manoa Music Department Graduate students, alumni, and current and former faculty presented papers at this year’s international symposium of the Performing Arts of Southeast Asia (PASEA) study group of the International Council on Traditions of Music and Dance (ICTMD), held at Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The symposium ran from July 2-8, with plenary and …
2026 ʻUkulele Hall of Fame Inductee Byron Yasui
Byron Yasui, Emeritus Professor of the Department of Music, recently inducted into the ‘Ukulele Hall of Fame on July 12, 2026 for his contributions and longstanding dedication to the instrument. As an educator, performer and composer for the ʻukulele as well as an arranger for solos and ensembles, Professor Yasuiʻs contributions are many. He is one of the few composers …
Marcus Moore Shares Knowledge and Love of Music with thousands of listeners statewide
Marcus Moore, 2025 Master of Music in Composition graduate of the Department of Music now shares his love, knowledge and expertise as a Host for Hawaiʻi Public Radioʻs Evening Concert on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6:00 – 8:00pm. His ultimate goal is to take his knowledge and expertise gained from the Hawaii community and share it with the international community. …
Chris Yohmei Blasdel’s album An Ocean of Time praised by PitchPerfect
Shakuhachi master Christopher Yohmei Blasdel, together with Sasha Bogdanowitsch in Striking Light Duo, released their second album An Ocean of Time. The album was very positively reviewed by PitchPerfect. The thoughtful blend of text, texture, and tone, together with a variety of instruments played by Bogdanowitsch, was deeply appreciated by Jamie Funk from PitchPerfect. “I could feel the weight of …
PhD in Composition student Yunxin An wins the UH Bands/UH Music Student Composition Competition
Yunxin An, PhD student in Composition, won the UH Bands/UH Music Student Composition Competition in January with her composition Neon Night. Neon Night is An’s first composition for wind ensemble, inspired by her concept of the modern-day nocturne. “When I stroll around the city these days, I often get this ‘unreal’ feeling. Everything, from the bright lights to the music …
PhD in Composition Student Jessica Ackerley wins first place at International Composer Institute of Thailand
PhD Composition student, Jessica Ackerley, won first place at the International Composer Institute of Thailand this past December having spent a week collaborating with the award-winning New Music ensemble, Tacet(i) for the premiere of the piece entitled, “To Grasp the Movement of the Sun.” For the institute, Ackerley was also mentored by UC Berkeley professor, Ken Ueno, and University of …
First Competition of New Works for the The Kauila Oboe Announces Award Winners
The first-ever composition competition for the Kauila Oboe announces the winners: Contestants were tasked with creating new music that honors and extends the legacy of the Kauila Oboe which was commissioned by J. Scott Janusch, former Hawaii Symphony principal oboist, and created from the wood of a rare 300-year-old Hawaiian kauila tree, felled during a hurricane on Kauai. Special thanks …
Joe Williams, PhD student, receives the 2026 Vanguard Award for Classical Innovation and Community Impact
Joe Williams, a PhD student and Graduate Assistant at the Department of Music, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Vanguard Award for Classical Innovation and Community Impact. Presented by Javacya Arts Conservatory, this award celebrates Williams’ multifaceted career as a recording artist, administrator and pedagogue. As the final mentee of pioneering pianist Frances Walker Slocum (1924-2018), Williams understands …
Paul Gabriel Cosme, Finalist at the Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival
Paul Gabriel Cosme was named a finalist for the 2025 Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival Choral Composition Competition with his composition, “When I Sing to Myself, Who Listens?.” Cosme is a composer and scholar of Filipino music. He is a graduate of Macalester College and is now a PhD student in composition at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. …