In a free concert, former Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra principal oboist J. Scott Janusch and musicians from Chamber Music Hawaiʻi will present composer Jon Magnussen’s Suite from “Nā Kau ʻElua | The Two Seasons” on November 4 at 6:30 p.m., at the Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center.
In a post-concert talk story, Janusch and event organizers will share the story of how the wood for the oboe came from a kauila (alphitonia ponderosa) tree native to Kōkeʻe, Kauaʻi, that was damaged by Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and reclaimed by the late Ed Kaʻiwi of Anahola. Through generous gifts, the wood eventually made its way to world renowned oboe maker Howarth of London.
Janusch said the free community concert is to share orchestra music with the community, but also to raise awareness about the uniqueness and the beauty of the environment from which the wood comes.
“Kauila is an ancient resource that was very important to Hawaiian culture,” he said. “This wood was a very important resource in the ancient Hawaiian culture and the few remaining trees still standing today in the old growth forests need to be protected; they stand as a majestic part of Hawaiʻi’s history.”
The concert is presented by Kauaʻi CC in collaboration with Live Music Awareness, the UH West Oʻahu Music Fund, Chamber Music Hawaiʻi, and the UH Mānoa Music Department instrument collection.
Magnussen, a professor at UH West Oʻahu, said the oboe concerto was inspired by the many ways the people of old Hawaiʻi (poʻe kahiko) made use of the once common, but now rare and precious Kauila wood. He is grateful for the partnership between the UH campuses.
“We are all connected in our university system, and we are most powerful when our knowledge and experiences are shared generously across our system,” Magnussen said.
Related UH News stories
- Oboe made of rare Hawaiʻi wood added to UH music department collection, February 6, 2023
- Unique instrument of rare Hawaiʻi wood debuts at concert, April 18, 2019
