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| (L-RJeff Auhoy, Jeff Teves, and myself Brandon Souza.) This was the first annual Hawaiian steel guitar festivals that was founded by Alan Akaka. This is one of the many contributions he has given to Hawaiian music. Hawaiian steel guitarists are rare and his "Ke kula mele Hawai'i" is mentoring the young and the old not only in Hawaiian music, but specifically the steel guitar. We were the support musicians for Jeff Auhoy for he was being featured. Casey Olsen and Greg Sardinha were just some of the other talented steel guitarists being featured on this day. |
Here's a kid named "Kaulike Pescaia" of Maui featured in this video singing "waiomina." Kaulike is 10 years old. It's the really young ones like him that give a glimmer of hope to the preservation of Traditional Hawaiian music. But really, is Hawaiian music a dying art? Let's take a look at my findings and then you can take a definite stance. Hawaiian music may be a dying art due to the overpowering western influences of music and westernization in general.
The youth and young adults of Hawaii including all cultures would rather not listen nor be involved with Hawaiian music. This is also tied to the fact that there are barely any of the younger generation (ages 5-29) performing or learning Traditional Hawaiian music. Traditions in general are being broken because it sort of is going out of style with this new age. Keiki, teens to young adults, have lost touch with the authenticity of good music. The older generation of islanders have been greatly touched and influenced by Hawaiian music, but it's not the same for this generation. Some, if not most actually consider Hawaiian music to be nothing more than just OLD music.
Is it actually the western influences or does the Hawaiian music of this era just not spark the interest bulb. I'm seeing a small movement of up and coming young Traditional Hawaiian music artists, like myself, but I can think of no more than 20 individuals below the age of 30 years old that are actual entertainers in "the scene." When I asked another fellow musician, Zachary Lum to list all the musicians under 30 years old that he knew, he compiled a list of five individuals. So collectively here are some musicians we know of: Aina Asing, Kapono Na'ili'ili, Zachary Lum, Keoni Souza, Halehaku Seabury-Akaka, Ikaika Blackburn, Brandon Souza, The Abrigo Ohana, Alika Young, Elijah Isaacs, Kaikea Lee and Danny Carvalho (to be continued).
Too many lives are getting sucked in to that silly hip-hop/computerized/techno songs they call music. There's just a tiny society of young Hawaiian musical performers partly because there is just not enough awareness and not enough educational programs to teach not only about Hawaiian music (traditional Hawaiian music), but how to actually play it, and perform it. If you approach CERTAIN Hawaiian musicians they'll be willing to teach Hawaiian musical instruction, lyrics, words and instrumentation, but with the exception of Kahauanu Lake and John Lake there has never been any formal haven where individuals that have the simple desire can learn Hawaiian music. Kahauanu Lake formally trained many artists that have become his proteges today. Some of his students include Jeff Teves, Chris Kamaka, Kimo Kimokeo, Tote Conching, Henry Barrett, and his ukulele virtuoso, Walter Kawai'ai'a. Besides the Kamehameha schools Hawaiian ensemble, I am not aware nor have discovered any other formal teachings of Hawaiian music performance. Actually there is one man who is currently beating the odds. Alan Akaka is the founder of Ke Kula Mele Hawai'i. His formal Hawaiian musical institution is just about a year old. Akaka strives to teach the youth and all ages alike the style, form, and rhythm of traditional Hawaiian music. He teaches Hawaiian style upright bass, steel guitar, Hawaiian rhythm guitar, ukulele, piano, and vocal stylings.
What other opportunities do young people have to learn Hawaiian music in schools. I mentioned the Kamehameha schools. Kamehameha has done a lot to bring awareness to high school students about Hawaiian music via the annual song contest. It's effective in teaching about choral singing, composers and some mele, but it happens only once a year for the high schoolers which doesn't seem like enough. The Ensemble program Kamehameha has to offer is an excellent program where the combo musicians are able to perform hula ku'i songs for the dancers to dance, but the musicians they select for the combo are already semi seasoned musicians and selected from an informal tryout. Musical programs in other schools across the state don't advocate Hawaiian music, but more so advocate "polynesian music." Is Hawaiian music a dying art?
The youth and young adults of Hawaii including all cultures would rather not listen nor be involved with Hawaiian music. This is also tied to the fact that there are barely any of the younger generation (ages 5-29) performing or learning Traditional Hawaiian music. Traditions in general are being broken because it sort of is going out of style with this new age. Keiki, teens to young adults, have lost touch with the authenticity of good music. The older generation of islanders have been greatly touched and influenced by Hawaiian music, but it's not the same for this generation. Some, if not most actually consider Hawaiian music to be nothing more than just OLD music.
Is it actually the western influences or does the Hawaiian music of this era just not spark the interest bulb. I'm seeing a small movement of up and coming young Traditional Hawaiian music artists, like myself, but I can think of no more than 20 individuals below the age of 30 years old that are actual entertainers in "the scene." When I asked another fellow musician, Zachary Lum to list all the musicians under 30 years old that he knew, he compiled a list of five individuals. So collectively here are some musicians we know of: Aina Asing, Kapono Na'ili'ili, Zachary Lum, Keoni Souza, Halehaku Seabury-Akaka, Ikaika Blackburn, Brandon Souza, The Abrigo Ohana, Alika Young, Elijah Isaacs, Kaikea Lee and Danny Carvalho (to be continued).
Too many lives are getting sucked in to that silly hip-hop/computerized/techno songs they call music. There's just a tiny society of young Hawaiian musical performers partly because there is just not enough awareness and not enough educational programs to teach not only about Hawaiian music (traditional Hawaiian music), but how to actually play it, and perform it. If you approach CERTAIN Hawaiian musicians they'll be willing to teach Hawaiian musical instruction, lyrics, words and instrumentation, but with the exception of Kahauanu Lake and John Lake there has never been any formal haven where individuals that have the simple desire can learn Hawaiian music. Kahauanu Lake formally trained many artists that have become his proteges today. Some of his students include Jeff Teves, Chris Kamaka, Kimo Kimokeo, Tote Conching, Henry Barrett, and his ukulele virtuoso, Walter Kawai'ai'a. Besides the Kamehameha schools Hawaiian ensemble, I am not aware nor have discovered any other formal teachings of Hawaiian music performance. Actually there is one man who is currently beating the odds. Alan Akaka is the founder of Ke Kula Mele Hawai'i. His formal Hawaiian musical institution is just about a year old. Akaka strives to teach the youth and all ages alike the style, form, and rhythm of traditional Hawaiian music. He teaches Hawaiian style upright bass, steel guitar, Hawaiian rhythm guitar, ukulele, piano, and vocal stylings.
What other opportunities do young people have to learn Hawaiian music in schools. I mentioned the Kamehameha schools. Kamehameha has done a lot to bring awareness to high school students about Hawaiian music via the annual song contest. It's effective in teaching about choral singing, composers and some mele, but it happens only once a year for the high schoolers which doesn't seem like enough. The Ensemble program Kamehameha has to offer is an excellent program where the combo musicians are able to perform hula ku'i songs for the dancers to dance, but the musicians they select for the combo are already semi seasoned musicians and selected from an informal tryout. Musical programs in other schools across the state don't advocate Hawaiian music, but more so advocate "polynesian music." Is Hawaiian music a dying art?
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