Blog | University of Hawai'i Maui College

Summer Updates and Upcoming Performances

It’s been a busy summer for those of us in the Institute of Hawaiian Music. Many of our students spent the summer rehearsing with their groups and performing at venues around Hawai‘i. We’re grateful to the individuals, groups, organizations, and companies that have supported us and provided performance opportunities for our students.

We do have performances the next three Fridays in August – August 1, 8 and 15, 2014, at the lobby of the Kea Lani Resort in Wailea from 4:30-5:30PM. Admission is free, and all are welcomed to join us. We will also be joining Uncle George Kahumoku at the […]

By donaghy|July 30th, 2014|Categories: Announcements, Performances|Tags: |0 Comments

Rev. Dennis Kamakahi: 1953-2014

The faculty, staff and students of the Institute of Hawaiian Music would like to extend our deepest condolences to the ‘ohana of Rev. Dennis Kamakahi, who passed away today. Dennis was one of the many early supporters of the IHM, met with and mentored the students in our first cohort. Dennis had wanted to also meet and work with our current students, but we were unable to arrange a date and time to do so before he was diagnosed and began treatment. We will be forever grateful for his dedication to Hawaiian music, and his enduring spirit.

By donaghy|April 28th, 2014|Categories: Announcements, Mentors|Tags: |0 Comments

IHM Students Perform at Maui Steel Guitar Festival!

A number of students in our inaugual Elementary Hawaiian Steel Guitar class peformed at the Maui Steel Guitar Festival this past Saturday at the Ka‘ānapali Beach Hotel. Mahalo to their kumu Joel Katz for preparing and accompanying them during the performance. Many in attendance were suprised but delighted to learn that steel guitar is a regular course at Music at UH Maui College, and will be offered again next semester.

We will be offering a combined Elementary and Intermediate steel guitar class in the fall. Please stay tuned for details!

By donaghy|April 15th, 2014|Categories: Announcements, Performances|Tags: |0 Comments

IHM Students on KPOA Morning Show

Mahalo to the Morning Goddess, Alaka‘i Paleka, Island Boy and Sista Val for having us on the KPOA 93.5 FM morning show this morning to talk about our upcoming performance at Kama‘āina Nights at Ka‘ahumanu Center, this Friday, February 28 at 6-7 PM. We hope that many of you will attend and support our IHM students!

We are making big plans for the big end-of-year concert that the students will be performing along with UHMC Chorus and Hawaiian Chorus students. Stay tuned!

By donaghy|February 25th, 2014|Categories: Performances|Tags: |0 Comments

IHM Students at Kama‘āina Nights With Ikaika Blackburn

Please join us this Friday, February 28. 2014 as our Institute of Hawaiian Music students open Kama‘āina Nights at the Ka‘ahumanu Shopping Center in Kahului. They will perform from 6-7PM, opening for Maui’s own Ikaika Blackburn.

We will have two different student groups performing that night, and hope you will join us!

By donaghy|February 23rd, 2014|Categories: Performances|Tags: |0 Comments

IHM Students Visit Jake Shimabukuro

Once again, our Institute of Hawaiian Music students were fortunate to receive visits and mentoring from an amazing Hawai‘i artist. On Saturday, February 1, the students spent over an hour with ‘ukulele virtuoso and innovator Jake Shimabukuro prior to his concert at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. He talked to them about his development as a performer and composer, his practice and composing, and various aspects of the music industry.

We are always grateful for the knowledge and experience passed down by our generous and talented Hawai‘i performers and recording artists. Their contributions are a huge part of what […]

By donaghy|February 14th, 2014|Categories: Mentors|Tags: |0 Comments

Raiatea Helm and Bryan Tolentino Visit IHM

Our Institute of Hawaiian Music students were fortunate to receive visits and mentoring from amazing artists two days in a row. Yesterday was Hilo’s Mark Yamanaka with Bert Nāihe. Today the students got to spend nearly an hour and a half with two-time Grammy Award nominee and multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winning singer Raiatea Helm, along with the amazing ‘ukulele stylist Bryan Tolentino. They discussed an incredible array of topics, answered questions from our students, and played several songs for them as well.

As always, we are incredibly grateful for the knowledge and experience passed down by our […]

By donaghy|February 1st, 2014|Categories: Mentors|Tags: |0 Comments

Mahalo Mark Yamanaka and Bert Nāihe!

Hilo native and four time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner Mark Yamanaka joined IHM students this afternoon for a nice long talk-story and jam session. He shared his experiences from growing up doing backyard jams, to his times performing with kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho, playing the Hilo “wedding/graduation/birthday lū‘ai” circuit, recording his first CD and his most recently release. His guitarist Bert Nāihe, joined him before heading off to soundcheck for their concert at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center this evening. Mahalo nui, […]

By donaghy|January 31st, 2014|Categories: Mentors, Miscellaneous|Tags: |0 Comments

What Do Mark Yamanaka, Raiatea Helm, and Bryan Tolentino Have In Common?

All three will be sharing their talents and mana‘o (thoughts) with our Institute of Hawaiian Music students this week! Mark Yamanaka will be visiting up on Friday, January 31. Mark’s talent has been nurtured from a young age by renowned musician, composer and kumu hula, Johnny Lum Ho, whose traditions produced some of Hawai‘i’s most cherished Hawaiian falsetto singers like Darren Benitez and Nā Palapalai’s Kuana Torres Kahele. His 2011 debut “Lei Puakenikeni” won the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards for Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, […]

By donaghy|January 29th, 2014|Categories: Announcements|Tags: |0 Comments

Barry Flanagan of Hapa and Halemanu Villarimo Mentor IHM Students

The Spring 2014 semester has just started, and already the students of the Institute of Hawaiian Music have met with two outstanding Hawai‘i musicians. On Thursday, January 16, 2014, guitarist/producer/composer Halemanu visited for the first of what we hope will be many times to work with our students.

On Friday, January 17, 2014, guitarist/composer/singer Barry Flanagan of the group Hapa joined IHM students before Hapa’s concert at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.

And we have several more mentors visiting later this month and in early February. Stay tuned for news!

By donaghy|January 22nd, 2014|Categories: Mentors|Tags: |0 Comments