LIHUE — The Kaua‘i Chorale will be sharing the talents of four musicians in its upcoming Mele Masters Series, a collection of online performances starting Monday, March 15.
All events are free to the public, suitable for all audiences, and will be available online via Zoom. Registration is recommended and available at kauaichorale.org.
“This is a terrific opportunity for not only our neighbors on Kaua‘i, but for everyone, to spend time with some very entertaining and super-talented musicians,” said Morris Wise, Kaua‘i Chorale artistic director.
”Plus, the first three presenters in the Mele Masters Series have deep connections to Hawai‘i,” he said.
Manuel Rosales will kick off the series on March 15 at 6 p.m. Rosales, the co-founder of Rosales Pipe Organ Services, is an expert in the restoration of historic organs.
He oversaw the recent transformation of the organ at All Saints Episcopal Church, the only pipe organ on Kaua’i and a gift from Queen Lili‘oukalani in 1925.
This exceptional instrument has been reimagined and refitted to include unique features such as both Hawaiian and English nomenclature, and Hawaiian sounds such as conch shell and ‘ukulele. Tune in to learn more about the beauty and significance of this special instrument and about the artistry of organ restoration.
Dr. Jace Saplan joins the series at 7 p.m. on March 22. Saplan is not only the director of choral activities and assistant professor of music at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, but also is the artistic director of NaWai, a professional vocal ensemble based in Hawai‘i.
Saplan is renowned for his expertise in and passion for Hawaiian choral music, and for multiculturalism in all aspects of choral-music performance, and is a sought-after choral clinician and adjudicator.
He will share his deep insights into the extensive library of choral compositions by Hawai‘i’s last reigning monarch, Queen Lili‘uokalani, and her fascinating musical legacy.
Doug and Sandy McMaster will be the entertainment on March 29 at 7 p.m.
Doug McMaster began his adventure with slack-key guitar at age 6, and introduced wife Sandy McMaster to it while they were in college.
They have been performing together ever since. These multi-award-winning musicians moved from Moloka‘i to Kaua‘i in 1999, have performed well over 5,000 concerts, and have dedicated themselves to keeping “old-style” slack-key alive and loved.
A visit with the McMasters will not only include performances by both on multiple instruments, but also an introduction to slack-key history, and help guide viewers through the intricacies of slack-key song interpretation.
Registration is required for these free Zoom events. Register online at kauaichorale.org.
