LIHU‘E — Among the many casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the Mokihana Club’s 50th Annual Music Scholarship Competition that was to be held at the club’s April 1 meeting.
Under normal circumstances, high school musicians from across Kaua‘i attend the club’s April meeting each year to showcase their talents and vie for music scholarships for college.
But due to stay-at-home and social-distancing orders this year, the meeting and the competition were canceled, like so many other things in the teens’ lives.
Four students applied this year, and were to perform to strive for a scholarship. In appreciation for taking the initiative to apply, and as a show of aloha in lieu of the competition, the Mokihana Club board of directors decided to award a small, token scholarship to each of the four applicants. The following students each received $250 from the club’s Music Scholarship Fund:
• Kevin Cabreira Jr. (Kaua‘i Christian Academy). Cabreira plays drums, piano and guitar, and sings. He plans to continue his music education at Los Angeles School of Recording. He was to play the guitar and sing “How Long” by Charlie Puth.
• Jade Garcia (Kaua‘i High School). Garcia has played violin since the fourth grade, and added viola in the ninth grade. She will continue her education at Kaua‘i Community College and, while she will not major in music, she says she looks forward to orchestra and continued music education. She was to play “Czardas” by Vittorio Monti on the viola. Her music teacher is Helen Sina.
• Justin Ruiz (Kaua‘i High School). Ruiz began his music career with the clarinet under Sarah Tochiki at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School. He will continue his education at Whitman College, and plans to continue music involvement through jazz and orchestra ensembles on campus. He was to play the clarinet to “Adagio and Menuetto,” composed by W.A. Mozart. He would have been accompanied by Nina Saraos on piano.
• Stephanie Washburn (Island School). Washburn has been playing violin for eight years and piano for 12 years, and says she will always have music in her life. She will continue her education at the University of Central Florida. She was to play the “Violin Concerto No. 5 in D Major Opus 22, 1st Movement,” by Friedrich Seltz. Her music teacher is Aowl Owen.
The Spring Music Competition and Scholarship Program is one of the year’s highlights for The Mokihana Club. Club members regret not being able to hear these talented young musicians this year, but wish them all great success in all their endeavors as they move forward in life.
