Bring Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra
to Hawaiʻi
Music has the ability to inspire, connect communities, and open doors to lifelong learning. But students on Hawaiʻi have fewer opportunities to experience live professional orchestral performances than students on Oʻahu. To fill this gap, for my senior project, I am bringing the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra (HSO) to Hawai’i.
My name is Keira Ida Ayu, and I am a senior at Waiākea High School. On my musical journey I have been fortunate to participate in the Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, Orchid Isle Orchestra, Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra, Waiākea High School Band, Hawaiʻi Performing Arts Festival, and the Chamber Orchestra of Kona. Through music, I have seen how live performances can inspire and connect communities, I have learned discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and I have met many great people along the way.
Participation in Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony brings me to Oʻahu for rehearsals and performances where I see a difference in educational opportunities compared to Hawaiʻi - including dedicated performing arts facilities, well equipped rehearsal and performance spaces, access to HSO performances, participation in side by side, and master classes. Here on Hawaiʻi, we are fortunate to have dedicated and knowledgeable music educators in our schools and community, and I see they literally dedicate their entire lives to music education. We are also extremely fortunate to have the Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra who plays an important role through educational concerts and school outreach. And the Hawaiʻi Concert Society also has educational outreach events.
A visit from HSO could never replace the music education work being done in our community. Their visit will elevate and complement this work, and it will give our students a chance to hear a professional orchestra performing at the highest level.
Why Music
Music education does more than teach students notes and rhythms. It develops creativity, teamwork, dedication, how to listen, encourages critical thinking and problem solving. Studies show that participation in music can improve academic achievement and student engagement, while providing a positive way to express yourself. Exposure to professional musicians and live performances inspires students to pursue excellence, broadens understanding of the arts, and demonstrates that music can bring us together. When students are given access to music, the entire community benefits.
I began this project in my sophomore entrepreneurship class as a way to explore increasing access to music education in our community. I created a petition to bring Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra to our community. I collected 94 signatures and 46 comments. Two of my favorite comments are:
“Music is important for all of us but it’s my belief that children in particular need to be exposed to it and especially Classical music. The symphony used to come here and it was a wonderful experience.”
- Comment by April Fountain, Kurtistown, on 11 Apr 2025
“The Hawaii Symphony is an important part of the culture of our state and should be shared with the other islands.”
- Comment by Val Underwod, Kamuela, on 20 Apr 2025
I learned that the Honolulu Symphony traveled to Hawaiʻi for nearly 50 years, inspiring our community and students. Here is a picture from the January 26, 1957 Tribune Herald showing nearly 5,000 students at the Civic Center in Hilo enjoying a symphony concert:
To better understand the challenges and opportunities for the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra to perform on Hawaiʻi, I met with Oʻahu musicians Iggy Jang, Jim Moffitt, and Marcia Schweitzer. They shared that they performed with the previous Honolulu Symphony and enthusiastically toured neighbor islands to provide educational concerts. Unfortunately financial challenges led to the end of this. I met with Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony leaders Randy Wong and Rachel Schultz who gave me ideas about how to make this vision a reality. I participated with Representative Jeanne Kapela on her Instagram Live with fellow Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony members to talk about the importance of music education. And finally this past spring I submitted Legislative support to name HSO the official State of Hawaiʻi Orchestra. With this momentum and my excitement for music in our community, I shared my vision with Ms. Amy Iwano, President and CEO of Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. Through a series of meetings and working with key HSO leadership including Ms. Iwano, Maestro Dane Lam, Composer in Residence Mr. Michael-Thomas Foumai, and Education Coordinator Ms. Mieke Doezema, main parts of the project have been developed.
Project
The Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra has agreed to fly to Hilo on Thursday March 4, 2027. Instead of creating a separate touring program, our community will get to experience music from HSO’s 2026-2027 season Brahms Festival. HSO under the direction of Maestro Dane Lam, will share excerpts from the Brahms VS Wagner Masterworks concert they will play just days later on Sunday for an audience in Honolulu. I am excited our community will share in one of the orchestra’s feature concert programs, making this experience more meaningful and memorable.
We are also exploring the possibility of a side by side piece of the concert. Orchid Isle Orchestra is our community orchestra of all ages that provides an opportunity for our community to play in an orchestra at home. The opportunity to play with HSO would give our local community musicians the motivation to continue inspiring the next generation of musicians.
On Friday March 5, 2027 HSO will perform an education concert at 9:30am and 11:00am. We will bus students from all over the island to attend. The educational concert curriculum is still being developed, ideas being discussed include introduction to instrument families and using the Brahms vs Wagner repertoire to teach about emotions. HSO’s Education Coordinator will provide education materials for island teachers in advance of the concert. Educators will be given the opportunity to use the materials to prepare their students for the concert, helping to build the field trip into a meaningful educational and memorable event.
I want every student to feel excited and comfortable experiencing live orchestra music for the first time. These educational concerts won't feel like a formal performance where everyone sits still so they do not distract the musicians or fellow concert attendees. At the educational concerts, students will be encouraged to clap, laugh, and cheer as they experience the music. HSO is planning an educational concert with an atmosphere where students can actively enjoy and connect with the performance.I hope every student leaves the concert saying “that was awesome, I want to hear an orchestra again.”
My bigger dream is that for the students that leave the concert saying “I want to play music,” I hope they have the opportunity, encouragement, teachers, and community support to make that dream a reality. Every child deserves the chance to discover their passion regardless of where they live. I hope that this project inspires our community to continue to invest in music education.