Author: Lance Tominaga
Founded more than a century ago, the Honolulu Symphony has the distinction of being the oldest American orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains. Great music, however, never gets old. Some longtime patrons, in fact, will tell you that today’s symphony has never sounded better, thanks to the efforts of its tireless music director.
The Honolulu Symphony’s season typically runs from September through May, with all performances held at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu. Individual tickets and season subscriptions are available.
The symphony began in 1900 with a small group of amateur musicians performing in a clubhouse on the slopes of Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu. In the ensuing years, the organization endured two World Wars, the Great Depression, financial crises, and changing musical and cultural landscapes. Through it all, the symphony has persevered and continues to meet its mission of providing musical performances at the highest artistic level.
An important turning point for the symphony came in April 1996, when Samuel Wong was appointed Music Director. Hailed as one of the most exciting conductors of his generation, the Hong Kong-born Wong has led orchestras in New York (Philharmonic), Houston, Seattle, Toronto, Montreal, Milan, Rome, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Mexico, Spain, Belgium and Mexico. A Summa Cum Laude graduate from Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music, Wong is also the principal conductor with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and has substituted for Leonard Bernstein to conduct the New York Philharmonic.
Led by Wong, the symphony’s stellar Halekulani Masterworks Series spotlights internationally acclaimed musicians and classical music’s most beloved repertoire. Distinguished soloists who have performed with the symphony include Yo-Yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman, André Watts, Peter Serkin, Sir James Galway and Midori.
The Hawaiian Airlines Pops Series, meanwhile, features fresh presentations on more contemporary sounds, with guests ranging from James Ingram, Kenny Loggins and Toto to Michael McDonald, Lou Rawls and Toni Tennille. These events are conducted by Maestro Matt Catingub. In 2001, Catingub and the Honolulu Pops performed with popular country music stars Faith Hill and Lee Greenwood at the ritzy premiere of the film Pearl Harbor. Photo Credits:Photo1: Honolulu Symphony ©2003-2004 Media-HI, Inc. All rights reserved. |
