Kona Festivale Chorale presents its “2012 Pops Menagerie” concert at 7 p.m. April 21 and again at 3 p.m. April 22 in the Kamakahonu Ballroom of King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. A double-bill, the event presents “Jazz & Such” and “Hawaiian Holiday II.”
“Jazz & Such” features the chorale and Gloryland and Celebration Singers in a potpourri of standards within the medium of soft jazz. Arrangements include “L-O-V-E” by Bert Kaempfert and Milt Gabler, “Someone To Watch Over Me” by George and Ira Gershwin, “Will You Be There?” by Michael Jackson, “Children Will Listen” by Stephen Sondheim, “Nice Work If You Can Get It” by George and Ira Gershwin, “A House Is Not a Home” by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, “Measure the Valleys” from “Raisin” by Judd Woldin and Roberta Brittan, “Fly Me To the Moon” by Bart Howard, “Ain’t Misbehavin” by Fats Waller, “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner “The Nearness of You” by Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington, “You’d be So Nice To Come Home To” by Cole Porter and “‘Who Can I Turn To?” by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. Featured singers include Jo-Anna Boshard, Emma Gardner, Red Johnson, Misty Mistler and Carson Wilcox.
“Hawaiian Holiday II” features a collection of newly arranged songs, complimented by hula, that have been requested time and again by those visiting Hawaii from all over the world. These primarily hapa haole songs, composed about Hawaii but written mainly in English, are standard favorites once featured on the “Hawaii Calls” radio broadcasts from the Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach, a broadcast that began in 1938, giving international prominence to many of these selections.
“Hawaiian Holiday II” is yet another edition in a decade-long project established to bring greater recognition and awareness to music composed during the golden age of Hawaiian music. Newly adapted and arranged for concert choir by Roberta R. King, recent additions include “Hawaii” (from the motion picture of the same name) with music by Elmer Bernstein; “Lovely Hula Hands” by R. Alex Anderson, “Blue Hawaii” by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger, “Leilehua” (a descriptive hula) by Charles King, “The Luau Song” by Jack Owens; “E Nei” (My Strange One) by Lena Machado, “Mapuana” by Lani Sang, “Ekolu mea nui” (Three Greatest Things) by Robert Nawahine, “My Dede” (a traditional Hawaiian song), “Hawaiian Village” by Leon Pober, “I Love You Truly” by Carrie Jacobs Bond, “Here Is Happiness” (Koko ni Sachiari), “Waikiki” by Andy Cummings, “Singing Bamboo” by Maddy K. Lam and “Beyond the Rainbow” by Webley Edwards. Featured dancers include Boshard and Kalehua Meheula.
Will-call reserved and general seating tickets may be purchased by calling 331-1115. Adult reserved seating is $25 and general seating $20. Child reserved seating is $10 and general seating is free for youth 12 years and younger.
Kona Festivale Chorale, now in its 24th season, is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) performing arts organization established in 1988. For information regarding this, or other Kona Festivale Chorale events, or how to participate as an active member of the chorale, visit konafestivalechorale.org.