August 28, 2008

Singing in the Islands

Local students travel with Vivace Youth Chorus to Hawaii

By Gwen Parker
Special to the Times

Thirty-three young singers from Vivace Youth Chorus of San Jose took a nine-day cultural vacation this summer to sing at the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival in Hawaii.

Vivace Youth Chorus of San Jose’s Artistic Director Peggy Spool, center front, with Vivace singers at the USS Arizona Memorial during the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival in Hawaii. Photos by Gwen Parker

Almaden area students Bryn Parry, Wei Chen, Jeanine Raymond, Preston Adams, Hannah Rosenblum and Iris Young traveled with Vivace to Oahu July 15 – 23, where 300 youth representing 12 children’s choirs from across the country were invited to participate.

The Almaden singers, who were joined by other youth sing-ers from San Jose neighborhoods including Willow Glen and Camb-rian, arrived prepared to sing a challenging repertoire of 14 songs in six languages of Pacific Rim countries and islands.

“Children from the choirs were mixed together on the first day of rehearsal,” said Peggy Spool, Vivace’s artistic director. “When they began to sing, suddenly all of the choirs became one. It was an amazing transformation and I could see the joy on the singers’ faces.”

Chen agrees that “singing with other choirs was amazing.” Rosenblum says the Pacific Rim Festival was “amazing and unforgettable!” Under the direction of

Henry H. Leck, artistic director and founder of the Indianapolis Children’s Chorus, twice-daily rehearsals on the Brigham Young University (BYU)-Hawaii campus were enhanced by stories of Hawaii’s history and culture.

Vivace’s concert and chamber choir singers, age 10-14, were escorted throughout the week by interns from the host choir, the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus. After the first day of rehearsals, the choirs walked from BYU into the back gate of the Polynesian Cultural Center and enjoyed a spectacular show with 100 performers.

Vivace Youth Chorus singers and Almaden area students from left include Bryn Parry, Wei Chen, Jeanine Raymond, Preston Adams, Hannah Rosenblum and Iris Young in Hawaii this summer for the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival.

The singers, their directors and chaperones had two mornings of exclusive access to the villages at the Polynesian Cultural Center. With dynamic instructors, the groups were assigned to four islands and immersed in the greetings, songs, crafts and dances of their Polynesian island. After the second morning, everyone came together for a Ho’ike, or gathering ceremony. Each village performed chants and dances for the rest to enjoy on the big stage at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

During two evening performances at Turtle Bay Resort’s ballroom, the choirs shared their repertoires with each other. Vivace singers enjoyed hearing choirs from Alaska, California, Georgia, Illinois, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri and New York.

Day five found the festival singers rehearsing in the morning and moving to BYU’s Cannon Center for the evening’s dress rehearsal performance. The next day everyone headed south to Honolulu for an afternoon performance at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall.

The youth sang songs from Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, Aotearoa, Samoa and Hawaii. The audience enjoyed guest performances of Mariachis, folkoric dancers, lion dancers, fan dancers, Samoan gospel singers, young Taiko drummers and hula dancers. Raymond thought the festival was a great learning experience. “I would recommend it to other advanced choirs,” she said.

The last two days of the festival were reserved for touring the landmarks of Oahu’s east shore: Diamond Head, Haunauma Bay, Pali Lookout and a drive through the Nuuanu Valley; shopping, dinner in Waikiki and some time at the beach. After an early morning bus ride and the launch to the USS Arizona Memorial on day eight, the Vivace family was very quiet and respectful as the younger members began to understand the significance of Pearl Harbor and what took place on Dec. 7, 1941.

Under the direction of Henry H. Leck, 33 young people from Vivace Youth Chorus of San Jose sing in the chorus at the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival in Hawaii. Photo by Gwen Parker

On the final evening of the festival, the choirs walked from their hotel across the street to the beach for dinner and the closing ceremony. The excitement of the nine days was culminated when the festival participants gathered on the beach at sunset, singing their final goodbye song, “Aloha ‘Oe,” closing with the heartfelt words, “until we meet again.”

While Adams, a seventh grader at Castillero Middle School, made many friends in Hawaii, he had only one word to describe the festival, “Awesome!”

The Pacific Rim Festival seeks to give every child an excellent choral experience and teach them about the cultures whose songs they sing. Making new friends from all over the United States and creating closer ties within each choir were unexpected treasures brought home from Vivace’s cultural vacation.

VIVACE, a 501c(3) not-for-profit, began its sixth year with an open house at the Stone Church in Willow Glen on Aug. 28. Rising Notes for 4-5 year olds and weekly rehearsals for ages 6-17 start in September. Visit www.vivaceyouthchorus.org or call (408) 885-1746 for more information about the chorus.