We don’t know about you, but we’re still buzzing from the incredible music, energy, and FUN of PMI 2024! Join us as we continue our deep dive into the unforgettable experiences our students had this summer. (If you missed part 1, you can find it here!)
Wednesday, July 10
As our students got more comfortable with each other and their repertoire, it’s time for them to begin thinking about performing these pieces with their ensembles. One way string students practiced this was through their Quartet Workshops.
During the SSQ workshop, quartets had the opportunity to perform their pieces in front of the rest of their peers and coaches. This setup allowed students to gain valuable experience performing on a real stage while receiving feedback from all the string quartet coaches. It also provided an excellent opportunity for students to practice active listening and offer constructive feedback to their fellow musicians.
For some students, preparing to get their small ensemble pieces performance ready is a highlight of the summer! A string student from PMI 2023 noted that “I really enjoyed the quartet workshop because I got to perform with my quartet in a low stress environment, get great feedback, and watch my friends in other quartets play.”
While students in all our programs continued their rehearsals, our faculty also started thinking about rehearsing for performance! This evening at the McKinley High School Auditorium was our highly anticipated PMI Faculty Concert, featuring our accomplished and talented faculty members performing solo, in small ensembles, and even in a large improv group! From pop hits like “Happy” by Pharrell Williams to romantic classics like Dvorak’s American Quartet, students and community members alike gathered to enjoy an evening full of lively music.
Andrew Kam, a violin faculty member, loved reconnecting with the local music community through the concert, where he performed a movement from Florence Beatrice Price’s String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor with Iggy Jang, Sorah Myung, and Aris Doike. He says, “Mr. Jang was actually a teacher when I was growing up who was involved with some of the competitions and festivals that I participated in, so it was pretty cool to be playing next to him and to also make 2 new friends and colleagues out of it, too.”
We love seeing our community come together through this annual tradition, and this past summer was no different!
Thursday, July 11
On top of workshops and rehearsals, our strings students balanced pre-performance jitters anticipating community concerts that were held across the city. Starting in the late afternoon, you could find our small string ensembles performing free concerts at venues including Downtown Art Center in Chinatown’s historic Arts District, the Halekulani Living Room in Waikīkī, and senior living and care communities across the city including 15 Craigside, One Kalākaua, and Kāhala Nui.
“The purpose of our community concerts was to show our gratitude towards all who have impacted our lives–from our kumu to our kūpuna,” explains SSQ Director Iggy Jang. “The SSQ Chamber Music program, combined with Freestyle and Orchestra, develops teamwork and confidence.” We appreciate having these opportunities for our students to bridge local communities through music!
Fun fact: our SSQ students ranged from grades 7-12 representing 23 public, private, and home schools across Hawai‘i, California, and Washington!
Friday, July 12
As the last full day of rehearsals before a weekend of concerts, our students worked very hard on this day to tune up their pieces.
While they practiced diligently, our NOI+F Teaching Fellow, Daniel Scoggins, took a quick trip to Moloka‘i to perform a free afternoon concert in Kaunakakai at the Moloka‘i Public Library. Part of our partnership with the National Orchestral Institute + Festival is to bring music further into under-resourced communities, and we were so happy to be able to bring Daniel’s talents to the residents of Moloka‘i.
Our partnership with the University of Maryland’s NOI+F also allowed an HYS and PMI alumnus, Tristan Toma, to return home as a fellow and share his knowledge with our students. “It’s thrilling to see the evolution of the OLA program,” says HYS President & CEO, Randy Wong. “Now in our sixth year of partnership, we’re able to see PMI students graduate from high school, succeed as collegiate musicians, and have a pathway to return home to teach and inspire the next generation of Hawai‘i’s youth.”
“As a former PMI student from 2019, it felt like coming home, reconnecting with the institution and its community in a new role,” Mr. Toma explains. “Returning to teach was filled with a mix of excitement, nostalgia, and the pressure to inspire and guide new students. It was incredibly rewarding to see them overcome challenges and build confidence in their abilities.” We love seeing young musicians, on their way to becoming professionals, relate to our students, adding to the diverse faculty for which PMI has become known.
Saturday, July 13
Students prepared with light pre-performance rehearsals before a day packed with music! On this day, we showcased several of our programs, including Solo & String Quartet, ‘Ukulele Workshop, and Wind, Brass, and Percussion Chamber Ensembles. All held at McKinley High School’s auditorium, our student concerts were only $10 to attend, or $35 for an all-access pass to every concert.
Did you know that PMI tuition covers just 50% of our music camp’s costs? We’re so grateful to those who attended our concerts, supporting our students in their performances as well as their journeys as musicians. Ticket prices help us fill the gap, funding essential activities, talented instructors, and a vibrant learning environment for our PMI students. Your attendance made a significant impact on the next generation of musicians and artists, and we thank you for your support!
Our first concert of the day featured Solo & String Quartet students, who together performed 16 pieces! From Mozart and Beethoven to Dvorak and Prokofiev, our audience was treated to an afternoon of fantastic chamber music. To see the progress our students have made in such a short time is incredibly inspiring! One PMI student notes that “the highlight [of PMI for me] was performing the chamber piece because it was fun and we did a lot of technical work within two days to get ready.” Observing the pride our students take in their performance makes PMI so special for our community.
Our ‘Ukulele Workshop students were up next. While not all of the students in the program were able to attend the concert, the nine performers did an excellent job playing “Edelweiss” and “C Jam Blues.” “Most of our group had played [‘ukulele] for one year or less, so it was incredible to see so many of them pick up the instrument and really thrive as musicians,” shares ‘Ukulele Workshop faculty member, Sarah Maisel. “We pushed our students past their comfort zones and they all accepted the challenge. I find that kind of passion for music and willingness to push themselves very inspiring. I loved giving the students opportunities to express themselves, and this was showcased during their performance as each student soloed. Seeing their smiles and eyes light up as the crowd cheered them on is something that I will always cherish.”
Last but not least, Wind, Brass, and Percussion Chamber Ensembles took the stage. Our audience enjoyed a range of music, from Disney and Studio Ghibli themes to “Lahainaluna” by Kuiokalani Lee. One unique aspect of PMI is the chance for winds, brass, and percussion players to perform in small ensembles consisting all of their same instrument section. These performances showcase how special each group of instruments truly is! Flute faculty member, Ellie Rose, explains which flute ensemble performance pieces she chose for PMI 2024, “I chose 2 pieces for our flute ensemble this year. The first is the overture from Slumberland’s flute trio called ‘Aurore’ and that piece is full of trading lines and it’s got a lot of pep to it. And then we’re also doing an excerpt from Rodriguez Peris’ flute quartet and that one is all about tone, color, and expression.” These pieces were specifically picked to highlight the versatility of the flute!
We were very proud of all our students and their Saturday performances!
Sunday, July 14
On Sunday, we once again gathered at McKinley High School auditorium for program concerts including Jazz Intensive, Freestyle String Ensemble, Middle School All-State Band, Wind Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra. Phew! That’s a lot of music!
Throughout the day, audiences enjoyed classics from Beethoven and Tchaikovsky to current hits like Blinding Lights by The Weeknd. Our Jazz Intensive and Freestyle String Ensemble students even performed together, rocking “When The Saints Go Marching In” and “Limbo Jazz.” We loved the energy of the day and hearing the results of a week of hard work’s worth of practice, as well as seeing the pride on our students’ faces reflecting all they accomplished this summer!
The day concluded with lei, smiles, hugs, and congratulations to our entire PMI music community. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
Faculty & Staff Mahalo
Now that you’ve gotten an understanding of what PMI entails, you can see how much effort and dedication it requires to put on our week-long summer music camp! From coordinating enrollment to programming to curriculum to logistics, the PMI team works hard throughout the year to ensure a successful program in July.
We couldn’t have the students and community that we do without our amazing team! Mahalo, mahalo, mahalo to our operations staff, music faculty, and volunteers who all do their part to make PMI an incredible place to be. Thank you so very much!
If you’d like another peek into PMI 2024 concerts and more, check out our PMI 2024 recap reels on Instagram:
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