Faculty member and Hawaiian Chorus conductor, Nola A. Nāhulu, was recently awarded a Ho‘okele Award. The honor, given by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, “pays tribute to leaders from the nonprofit sector—the guiding forces in our community who strive to make Hawai’i a better place. Just as a steersman, ho‘okele, is key to guiding a canoe successfully to its destination, this award recognizes the significant role that a nonprofit leader plays in improving the quality of life for Hawai‘i’s people.”
Nola has led UH Mānoa’s Hawaiian Chorus since 1982. Additionally, she has conducted the Hawai‘i Children’s Chorus, Moloka‘i Children’s Chorus, and the Bishop Memorial Choir. She is currently conductor for Pearl Harbor Hawaiian Civic Club, Kawaiaha‘o Church, Hawai‘i Opera Theatre, and Ka Waiola o Na Pukanileo. In her spare time she sings with No Kaliko, an unaccompanied trio devoted to Hawaiian choral music. With her family she is owner of Bete, Inc., manufacturer of classic mu‘umu‘u.
Nola’s work in our community—and especially with the Hawai‘i Youth Opera Chorus since 1986—was recognized by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation along with the following recipients:
- Suzanne Case, executive director, Hawaii Program, The Nature Conservancy
- Howard S. Garval, president and chief executive officer, Child & Family Service
- Nanci Kriedman, M.A., chief executive officer and co-founder, Domestic Violence Action Center