Agata Highstein has been awarded the University of Hawaii – Manoa Presidential Scholarship. A sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance degree at the Department of Music, she has twice been named an Orvis Vocal Scholar. She is a member of the Chamber Singers, the department’s top auditioned choir, and a staff singer at Central Union Church. Agata …
José Taton, Jr Awarded Belinda Aquino International Philippine Studies Endowment
The Center for Philippine Studies has awarded UHM Ethnomusicology doctoral student José (Pow) Taton, Jr. the Belinda Aquino International Philippine Studies Endowment for his research project entitled “Binagnusan: Documenting and Translating a Panay Bukidnon Sugidanon (Epic). The project involves intensive field research on Panay, recording and interviewing practitioners of this endangered epic, and translation into both contemporary Kinaray-a (central Panay …
Ethnomusicology: Student Achievement and Creative Collaboration
UHM Ethnomusicology students continue to make meaningful contributions to scholarship and creative work, demonstrating the program’s dynamic blend of research and practice. PhD student José R. “Pow” Taton has published “Memories of Ritual, Acts of Remembering: Ati Voices as Collective ‘Witnessing’” in the anthology Indigeneity in the Philippines: Studies on Knowledge, Identity, and Rights (University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2026). Currently …
Alina Taniguchi Places First in Voice Competition
UHM voice student Alina Taniguchi recently won first place in the 2026 National Society of Arts and Letters Hawai’i Chapter Winston Classical Voice Scholarship Competition. Alina is a sophomore in the Music Education program, and she is a 2025-26 and 2026-27 Orvis Vocal Scholar, an honor given to outstanding voice students. Alina is a student of Dr. Maya Sypert. “Before …
Amy Taba Wins Winston Classical Voice Scholarship
Amy Taba, an undergraduate music student with a focus in vocal performance, placed second in the 2026 National Society of Arts and Letters, Hawaiʻi Chapter Winston Classical Voice Competition, winning a scholarship. She performed Una donna a quindici anni by Mozart, Willow Song by Douglas Moore and Algún día by Jaime León, and will advance to participate in the National …
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 …
PhD in Composition student Paul Cosme published in Asian Music
Paul Cosme, PhD in Composition student, was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Asian Music. His article “Beyond Interculturality: A Case for Intraculturality Among Composers from Southeast Asia” proposes Southeast Asian interconnections as “intracultural” rather than “intercultural” as illustrated by composers from this region. “It is important to recognize that Southeast Asia is already vibrant and composed of many varying …
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 …