VNR: Symphony of the Hawaiʻi Seas unites science, culture, art

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Link to video and sound: https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/9sIRZQtI68

To encourage a deeper connection with the ocean and foster ocean stewardship across generations in Hawaiʻi, the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) and UH Mānoa Department of Music, in collaboration with the the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra (HSO), presented Symphony of the Hawaiʻi Seas at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall on October 23. The free concert captivated audiences by weaving together moʻolelo (storytelling), mele (music), hula and animations.

The performance featured HSO performing ocean-themed original compositions by celebrated local composers Michael-Thomas Foumai, Herb Mahelona, Takuma Itoh, Logyn Okuda and Justin Park. The music was paired with vibrant animations by Kari Noe, Janae Taclas, Dillon Valenzuela, Jewel Racasa, Sam St. John, Edward Ayano, Napua Rice, Huy Nguyen and Kieren McKee.

"We have the research at UH, and we have the finest musicians, world class orchestra, and when we combine those together, we have a powerful message to send to the world using music that goes straight to the heart," said Foumai, the director of artistic engagement for HSO and also a lecturer at UH-West Oʻahu.

The program also included a mele composed by UH Professor Rosie Alegado and UH Indigenous Stewardship Specialist Aimee Sato accompanying a hula under the guidance of Kumu Hula, Kekuhi Kealiʻikanakaʻoleohaililani and Hawaiʻi Community College Professor of Hawaiian Studies Taupōuri Tangarō. Cultural narratives guided audiences through time alongside native sea life and ʻaumākua (family or personal gods), exploring the vital role humans play in protecting cherished waters.

School performances

Symphony of the Hawai'i Seas featured two morning performances for students in grades 4-12. These free school concerts were designed to support STEAM learning, cultural literacy and environmental awareness in classrooms.

"And so it's exciting to bring all of this talent together to provide an opportunity for our 4th and 12th grade students to be in a symphony, to be in a concert hall, and to get to see all of it in such an immersive experience," said Beth Lenz, PhD, Hawaiʻi Sea Grant assistant director for strategic communications and engagement.

"It was my first time going to one of those kinds of events," said Brad Park, Papahana O Kaiona Alternative Learning Program sophomore. "It was very peaceful, I had a peaceful feeling listening to the orchestra. And I liked how it kind of matched the vibe of the video, that's what I liked."

Continuing the education through music

This performance continued the successes of the Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds and Symphony of Hawaiʻi Forests. The Symphony of the Hawaiʻi Seas represented a new chapter in creative collaboration, bringing together UH, local experts and organizations, as well as federal, state, and county agencies to weave culture, science, and the arts into an inspiring shared experience.

"They're not pre-written works written by someone from outside of Hawaiʻi," said Takuma Itoh, DMA, composer and professor of music at UH Mānoa Department of Music. "They're all created here locally, just like the animation, just like the hula, just like everything in this project."

The program was a collaborative effort supported by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant and the UH Mānoa Strategic Investment Initiative, led by Lenz of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, with co-investigators Itoh, Kalilinoe Detwiler (UH Mānoa English Department), Anne Rosa (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant), Melissa Price (Natural Resources and Environmental Management Department) and Kanesa Duncan Seraphin (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant).

VIDEO:

BROLL: (2 minutes)

0:00-0:41- Symphony of the Hawai'i Seas
0:41-2:00 - Students viewing displays

SOUNDBITES:

Beth Lenz, UH Sea Grant College Program assistant director for strategic communications and engagement (14 seconds)

"And so it's exciting to bring all of this talent together to provide an opportunity for our 4th and 12th grade students to be in a symphony, to be in a concert hall, and to get to see all of it in such an immersive experience."

Michael -Thomas Foumai, Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra composer (12 seconds)

"We have the research at UH and we have the finest musicians, world class orchestra, and when we combine those together, we have a powerful message to send to the world using music that goes straight to the heart."

Brad Park, Papahana O Kaiona Alternative Learning Program sophomore (15 seconds)

"It was very peaceful, I had a peaceful feeling to come out of the orchestra. And I liked how it kind of matched the vibe of the video, that's what I liked."

Takuma Itoh, UH Mānoa Music Department professor and composer (13 seconds)

"They're not pre-written works written by some, someone else, from outside of Hawaiʻi. They're all created here locally, just like the animation, just like the hula, just like everything in this project."