HA WA I‘I YO UTH SY
MPHO NY | SP RING 2026 NEWSLETT E R
HAWAIʻI YOUTH SYMPHONY HITS A HIGH NOTE ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND This Presidents’ Day, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony continued its longstanding tradition of bringing free, high-quality orchestral music to communities across the islands. Our most advanced ensembles, Youth Symphony I and Jazz I, led by Joseph Stepec and Dean Taba respectively, traveled to Hawaiʻi Island for an inspiring and unforgettable concert featuring Hilo’s own jazz pianist and vocalist, Maggie Herron. Taking the stage at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea, HYS performed a dynamic and memorable concert with something for everyone. Our students soared through medleys of Harry Potter (with guest conductor Richard Scerbo) and Henry Mancini (with nine Hawaiʻi Island guest musicians, representing Hilo High, Keaʻau High, Waiākea High, and Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy); jazz favorites from Claire Fisher & Charles Mingus; pop hits by Sting, the Beatles, and Elvis; and Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Fifth Symphony. The next day, Youth Symphony I traveled south to Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi in Keaʻau, and performed a “Listen & Learn” concert for the student body. These concert tours reflect our deep commitment to equitable access: Not only do we offer these concerts for FREE to neighbor island communities, but we also subsidize trip costs, so that all of our musicians and volunteers can attend without financial burden. In recognition of these efforts, State Representative David Tarnas presented a certificate to on behalf of the Hawaiʻi State House of
Representatives, which notes HYS’s incredible impact on Hawaiʻi Island throughout the years. In addition to the aforementioned concerts, HYS also presented a brass quintet formed of teaching fellows from the National Orchestral Institute + Festival and Royal Hawaiian Band tubist/NOI+F alumnus Dan Honaker. This educational & community outreach was made possible through our Orchestral Learning Alliance (OLA) program. During their nine-day residency with HYS, the OLA teaching fellows visited Kapolei High School, Kapolei Middle School, Nānākuli Clubhouse, and ʻIolani School; Waiakea High School, Hilo Intermediate School, & Hilo Public Library; and Maui High School and Maui Adult Daycare Center, reaching nearly 1,000 people!
Board Chair Erica Mau-Schank, President Randy Wong, Rep. David Tarnas, and Kahilu Theatre executive director Misha Johnson