The Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra (KPO) continues its 2022-23 MasterWorks Season at Kahilu Theatre with “The Talent that Surrounds Us” at 2 p.m. Jan. 22.
When looking around our island, there are many talents that we could come across every day from our neighbors, friends, and ohana. This concert features performances by the remarkable young winners of Kamuela Philharmonic’s annual “Madeline Schatz-Harris Youth Concerto Competition.” Accompanied by the Orchestra, pianist Miyu Akino (12) will play the first movement from Beethoven’s Concerto no. 3 in C minor, op. 37; pianist Sophie Chan (14) will play the first movement from Mozart’s Concerto no. 2 in C major, K. 467; and pianist Laura Huang (17) will play the third movement from Beethoven’s Concerto no. 2 in B-flat major, op. 19.
“The Philharmonic’s upcoming performance is always one of my favorite concerts of the season. Showcasing and working with these young musicians is always a memorable experience for me,” said Kamuela Philharmonic Artistic Director and Conductor Brian Dollinger. “Knowing that, for most, I get to be an important part of a lifelong memory for these young musicians is not only exciting but an honor. I truly hope that they will look back at this experience when they are all grown up and have nothing but personal pride, joy, and fond memories.”
In addition to the concerto competition winner performances, the Philharmonic will also highlight a Hawai‘i Island-based composer, Irminsul, in the World Premiere performance of his “The Three Virtues of Zarathustra.” This three-part suite for orchestra is an adventure that takes the listener through the virtues of “Good Thoughts,” “Good Words,” and “Good Deeds.” This composition is a beautiful and thought-provoking introspective that touches the soul.
“A symphony orchestra has a unique ability to be part of all types of genres of music as well as a historical vault. We perform music ranging in hundreds of years and across every continent. Keeping these most incredible works alive and relative is an enormous responsibility, and I am so blessed to be just a small part of this cultural tradition,” added Dollinger. “But performing the stalwarts of the repertoire is not the only thing that is imperative for the sustainability of the art form.
“Newly composed music is today’s history; it’s telling today’s stories and styles. On our upcoming performance, we are not only premiering a work for full orchestra, but it is also a piece written by a Hawaii-island composer,” he continued. “Bringing attention to our island neighbors and their talents is a mission I hold dear. I am eager to bring this piece to life with the composer in the audience.”
Also included in the program is Jean Sibelius’s triumphant Finlandia, a work that became a rallying point for the people of Finland during the late 1800s when they were fighting for their freedoms against increased censorship by the Russian Empire. The piece takes the listener on a journey through this oppression culminating in a triumphant ending. Finlandia is considered by many to be Jean Sibelius’s most famous composition.
Tickets for “The Talent that Surrounds Us” are $65/$35. They may be purchased online at kamuelaphil.org or by calling the Kahilu Theatre Box Office at (808) 885-6868 or visiting the Box Office in person at 67-1186 Lindsey Road Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.