Celebrated slack key masters Keola Beamer, Jeff Peterson, Hiʻikua and Ron Loo will share the gift of music—and music education—in a concert at Palikū Theatre on December 8 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. All proceeds from the concert will support the Henry Kapono Foundation Music Scholarship for music students at Windward Community College.
“Henry is committed to making music education accessible to those who want to learn. He is very proud to be Hawaiian, and he takes extra pride in being able to support a program that is specifically focused on perpetuating Hawaiian music,” said Windward CC Hawaiʻi Music Institute Director and professional musician Kamuela Kimokeo.
Tickets for the concert are $30 general admission and $75 for VIP seating (includes meet and greet with the artists backstage). Students (with ID) and online streaming tickets are $15. Purchase tickets at makanamele23.eventbrite.com.
To donate to the Henry Kapono Foundation Music Scholarship at Windward CC, visit https://giving.uhfoundation.org/funds/13017604.
Hawaiian music studies at Windward CC
Jeff Peterson and Kamuela Kimokeo are among the music instructors in Kaʻohekani, a groundbreaking one-year online certificate in Hawaiian music. The certificate from Windward CC is immersive, accelerated and cohort-based. It is taught in a series of eight-week online classes by a lineup of professional musicians: Kamuela Kimokeo (Hawaiian music), Kawaikapuokalani Frank Hewett (Hawaiian language, hula), Jeff Peterson (slack key guitar), Raiatea Helm (Hawaiian singing) and Kapena DeLima (digital music producing).
As director of the Hawaiʻi Music Institute at Windward CC, Kimokeo not only teaches a variety of Hawaiian music courses at the college, he also performs with Jerry Santos and his own Nā Hōkū Award-winning group Hiʻikua.
“This scholarship from the Henry Kapono Foundation provides an opportunity to students to learn from our own excellent local talent, many who are legendary artists, it is a connecting of the generations” said Kimokeo.
“The purpose of this scholarship is to assist students pursuing music education through the Hawaiian Music Certificate program as an avenue to better the lives of themselves, their families, and develop the ability to maintain viable careers in music,” said Lezlee Kaʻaihue, Henry Kapono Foundation executive director. “This year we are especially excited that the WCC music program has nearly 30 teachers! When you multiply the number of students that each teacher could potentially impact and influence with music, then we realize that this scholarship is a worthwhile reinvestment into the community.”
The Kaʻohekani Hawaiian music online certificate can be applied to an associate of arts degree in liberal arts.
