The Kona Music Society chorus offers “A Kanikapila Sunday Sing,” at 2 p.m. May 18 at Hale Halawai. The free event will be in the kanikapila format, a gathering of musicians sharing song with the community.
“This is a chance for KMS to offer tourists and residents alike Hawaiian choral music in a casual environment,” said artistic director Susan McCreary Duprey of the organization’s island music inspired sing-along.
The gathering will feature the 75-member KMS in full song celebrating both traditional Hawaiian and hapa haole songs. The majority of the concert will engage audiences with Hawaiian favorites.
KMS member John Week explained that hapa haole music, with its roots in the late 19th century, formed when several members of the royal families applied their musical aptitude to Western music they had learned in churches and school to create a distinctively Hawaiian compositional style. He said one of the best-known examples of a hapa haole, or “part foreigner” song, written in a mix of Hawaiian and English, is Queen Liliuokalani’s “Aloha Oe,” which will be sung at Sunday’s show.
In addition, other songs from 20th century Hawaii that will be on the repertoire will include, “Hawaii Aloha,” the 1948 hit “Beyond the Reef” composed by Jack Pitman, and “Lahaina Luna” by Kui Lee. Collaborating in the kanikapila with KMS for the first time will be Lani Lee and her hula halau Na Kupuna o Kona Alii. The halau will perform solo acts as well as dance in accompaniment with the chorus.
The return of Kona Music Society’s Hawaiian music repertoire will echo their past concerts held at Kona Village Resort. The return of this event is equally celebratory as it will be the first concert in part of a new partnership between the chorus and the County of Hawaii.
“We are honored and excited to be working with the County and to have this sponsorship,” Duprey said, noting the County-supported venue location is a fittingly historic Hawaiian setting in downtown Kailua-Kona to honor the legacy of Hawaiian music.
Furthermore, the concert will coincide with the events of Kailua-Kona’s monthly “Kokua Kailua” Village Stroll and Hulihee Palace performance at 4 p.m.
“We are grateful that we can participate in this event, on this day,” Duprey said about the festivities in Kailua-Kona on May 18. “This is an opportunity for not only our community to hear and join in a casual sing-along concert, but for our chorus members and audience members to understand and appreciate the significance of the Hawaiian choral music repertoire.”
For more information contact Julia Lester at 334-9880 or visit konamusicsociety.org.