Hawaii Youth Symphony
Castle Theater
Monday, February 18, 2019 – 4:00 PM
With special guest, Raiatea Helm
Music is an extraordinary discipline with the power to challenge the mind, nurture the soul, and open doorways to a new world of opportunities. Children who make music embody commitment, discipline, teamwork, and persistence, all proven to be vital to success in school and life. Over 100 of the state’s finest high school musicians comprise Youth Symphony I, the top orchestra of Hawaii Youth Symphony. Under the baton of the organization’s newly appointed music director, Dr. John Devlin, Youth Symphony I will perform music of local composer Michael-Thomas Foumai, masterworks by Beethoven and Shostakovich, and in a very special opportunity, with the exquisite talents of Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning and Grammy-nominated artist, Raiatea Helm. Youth Symphony I has previously been showcased on National Public Radio’s “From the Top” with host Christopher O’Riley; has performed with renowned classical artists including Midori, David Shifrin, and Conrad Tao; Hawaiian musicians Robert Cazimero, Keola Beamer, and Makana; and the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. In 2014, the orchestra was nominated for two Na Hoku Hanohano awards for the album, “The Golden Ages of Waikiki,” featuring Jimmy Borges and the Waitiki 7, in which the orchestra paid tribute to the midcentury music of Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman. This season, HYS students represent over 100 public, private, and home schools spread throughout Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Molokai. Music Director Dr. John Devlin previously held positions with the National Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Symphony, and two youth orchestra organizations in Virginia. At Hawaii Youth Symphony (HYS), we aspire to make music a right, not a privilege, so that we can empower children everywhere with the joy, skills, and character-building that music-making uniquely provides. Established as a nonprofit organization in 1964, Hawaii Youth Symphony annually serves over 700 students, ages 7-18, through music-making programs for beginners through advanced performers. Our students perform in settings from string quartets to full symphony orchestras, band, and jazz ensembles.
