Looking forward to 2011. . .

Aloha mai kākou,

2010 has been a banner year for us and we would like to thank all of our supporters who have made our success this year possible.  There are always new and exciting opportunities coming up and moving into 2011 we are looking to add 10 new members to fill out our vocal ensemble enabling us to grow the Alumni Glee Club repertoire with more great Kamehameha music. We are currently looking to add a combo (bass, ʻukulele, guitar) to our performances and are seeking new members from the class of 1970 to 2005 who are familiar with Kamehameha music.

If you or someone you know enjoys reliving the days of song contest and the "senior sweep" or you were lucky enough as a freshman to beat everyone else come back (or have them come back) to the music that is Kamehameha and carry on a proud tradition honoring our Pauahi and and the legacy left through the Schools' music.

We have regularly scheduled rehearsal on Tuesday evenings at 7pm starting up again November 30, 2010 at the Bishop Memorial Chapel.

Please contact our Club secretary, Kuni Agard for more information on auditioning.

A hui hou,

Aaron Mahi, Director
Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club

KAGC Breaks for Most of November

It has been a very exciting and productive year and so the Alumni Glee Club will be taking off for the month of November to enjoy time with family and the holiday season.  Please note that regularly scheduled rehearsals at the Bishop Memorial Chapel will be canceled for the month of November with the exception of Tuesday, November 30.  If you happen to be attending the "Under a Jarvis Moon" screening at Keʻelikōlani Auditorium on November 9th we'll see you before the movie.

Sand Between Your Toes and Kamehameha on the Big Screen

Sunset on the Beach welcomes Pacific Islanders in Communication (piccom.org) produced One Voice to Waikīkī and the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club opens the movie with music from the Kamehameha Schools repertoire.  Join us at Queen's beach (across the street from the Honolulu Zoo) at 5pm for the singing of some Kamehameha classics.  The Glee Club will be preceeded by Keauhou and followed by special guests before the movie airs at 7pm.

The locally produced One Voice is one of only 214 films to be selected for this years Hawaiʻi Internation Film Festival.

Green Initiatives Make Hawaiʻi a Perfect Host

Enterprise Honolulu hosted the World Congress on Zero Emissions conference at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center and featured the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club to close the event.  How fitting that a week of activities aimed at preserving our natural resources and creating a better environment wrapped up with some very creatively tied in choral music by the Glee Club.  A special Mahalo to our gracious hosts Pono Shim and Mark McGuffie of Enterprise Honolulu.

Native Peoples Converge

Native tribes from all over the country converged on Honolulu for their Healing Our World Spirit conference.  The Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club under the direction of Aaron Mahi, joined Nola Nāhulu and a host of choirs under her direction to celebrate the beauty of choral music at Kawaiahaʻo Church.

Liliʻuokalani Church putting the "Fun" in Fundraising

Aaron Mahi and KAGC singing at the Liliʻuokalani Church lūʻau
photo courtesy of Andy Nishida, URS Coproration

Joined by other Hawaiian artists including Amy Hanaialiʻi Gilliom, the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club entertained hundreds of supporters at the annual Liliʻuokalani Church Lūʻau fundraiser.  Every year the Haleʻiwa community gets together to support their church.  Hawaiian music filled the air and ʻono food was had by all.

The Kamehameh Alumi Glee Club proudly supports Liliʻuokalani Church and the work it performs in North Shore communities.

Moanalua Resounds!!

The men of the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club singing on the pā hula
photo courtesy of Moanalua Gardens

The Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club proudly opened the 33rd Annual Prince Lot Hula Festival welcoming the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, all the hālau and the many visitors in attendance.

Blessed by passing showers the Alumni Glee Club sang tradtional numbers tied to Kamehameha and presented an ʻoli, Aloha Moanalua in honor of Moanalua and the valley's stewards, the Damon family.  Fun was had by all with Kimo Kahoano as emcee and the many booths sharing Hawaiian resources, arts and crafts and delicious food.

E ola mau ka inoa ʻo Kāmona!

Aloha CJ

Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Chief Justice
William S. Richardson
1919 - 2010
-photo courtesy of the Honolulu Star Advertiser

The Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club joined hundreds of family and friends of the late William S. Richardson in a celebration of life  at St. Andrews Cathederal in Downtown Honolulu this Friday, July 9, 2010.  The mood was jovial and uplifting as friends and family shared their memories of the Chief Justice.  Offerings of chant, scripture and recollection brought the capacity crowd to moments of both solemnity and laughter. 

KAGC shared signature numbers from its repertoire including Hole Waimea and Puʻuwaʻawaʻa as well as the very powerful Canticle of Commemoration a song so fitting for the memory of CJ.

Turney Gillett Scholarships Awarded

Class of 2010 Turney Gillett recipients Zachary Lum and Kaʻai McAfee-Torco

Congratulations to academically and musically talented graduating seniors Zachary Lum and Kaʻai McAfee-Torco for being selected as our Turney Gillett Scholarship recipients for 2010, we hope this gift helps defray some of the cost as you go on to pursue school after Kamehameha.

Named for two of our most prominent directors, Harold B. Turney and Dorothy K. Gillett, the Turney Gillet Fund offers a scholarship to a graduating boy and girl who have excelled in the classroom and shown exemplary leadership skills and an innate love of music. The selection committee noted that [Zachary and Kaʻai] are "the strongest students yet to receive [the Turney-Gillett Award]," and for this the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club is truly honored by you being chosen as recipients of our award.

Great job Zachary and Kaʻai!

**Zachary, I have been told that there is a seat all ready for you at our rehearsals on Tuesday nights at the Chapel.

Choral Showcase at City Hall

The Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club joined other choruses and choirs to share music with attendees at the 5th Annual Hawaiʻi Book & Music Festival.  The two day event (Saturday 5/15 and Sunday 5/16) offered books and music from many local vendors as well as refreshments and goodies from Oʻahu restaurants.  Singing on Sunday in the Mission Memorial Auditorium on the grounds of Honolulu Hale, the Club shared signature numbers from the Kamehameha repertoire.

The festival benefitted Hawaiʻi Literacy and Read to Me International. 

Bob Nelson captains the SS Waiʻalae on Interisland Cruise

As the gang plank was lifted and the last passengers boarded, the SS Waiʻalae eased its way out of Honolulu Harbor.  The captain lifted his hands and with the powerful voices of twenty men turned the propellers that pushed us out into the open ocean.  It was Waiʻalae Country Club's Hawaiian Night and members would be treated to a interisland cruise powered by the rich voices of the men of the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club.

At the Captain's Dinner all the finest Hawaiian fare was served and as members enjoyed poi and lau lau, Robert Nelson masterfully turned the ship's wheel as the Club took Waiʻalae members to Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Kauaʻi and then back home to Oʻahu.  The selection of songs was broad ranging from Hawaiian classics to Hapa Haole and even a couple alma maters.  Accompanying the men was Melia Felix who dance Mī Nei and A Maile Lei for the captivated crowd.

An excellent time was had by all as those in attendance sang along with songs that were familiar and were mezmerized by the hula.  In honor of Waiʻalae, the Club sang a medley of Waiʻalae and Akaka Falls and before ending with Hawaiʻi Aloha emcee Kuni Agard let the members know the only reason we sing Kamehameha March with such fervor was because ʻ48 graduate of St. Louis High School Sam Kamaka got the guys all riled up.  Laughing errupted throughout the crowd as Tony Guerrero, a St. Louis alum himself threw both hands up and yelled, "St. Louis!!"

A special mahalo to Kay Mattos and the members of the Waiʻalae Country Club for their hospitality and warm invitation.

What an awesome cruise!

We're Recruiting

Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club
Kamehameha Schools photo by Michael Young

The Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club is currently recruiting interested men of all voice parts.  If you sang with the Concert Glee Club while attending Kamehameha and want to hear and sing that music again please join us tomorrow night at 7pm (and on all Tuesday evenings) at the Bishop Memorial Chapel up at Kamehameha Schools.  Please contact the Club by visiting our website at http://www.kamehamehaglee.org/ by clicking the link at the right of this blog.

Please check the calendar on the homepage for our performance and rehearsal schedule.  Any changes to our regular Tuesday nights will be reflected there.

Mālama Card Launch

Aaron Mahi and Dale Noble in front of the Pauahi statue at Helumoa

Joined by former Concert Glee Club Director and Song Contest Judge from last night's 90th Kamehameha Schools Song Contest, Dale Noble the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club opened the festivities for the launch of the Mālama Card.

Emcee Manu Boyd entertained the crowd and gave away gifts for guests who could correctly answered questions about the Mālama Card, the song that were performed and Helumoa.  The Mālama Card is a loyalty program featuring merchants at Kamehameha owned properties. For details on the Mālama Card please check out malamacard.com.

Holokū Ball 2010

The Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club opened this year's Holokū Ball at the newly renovated Royal Hawaiian Hotel. On the lawn fronting the Monarch Room, the Club greeted guests with a capella renditions of Nani ke ʻLiʻi Kiʻekiʻe, Beyond the Reef, and Lahainaluna, all standards the Club has been noted for singing. The Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu honored Kamehameha Schools CEO Dee Jay Mailer.

The Man of the hour - Aaron Mahi

Aaron Mahi - Kamehameha Schools photo by Michael Young

 The Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club joined the Oʻahu Choral Society in honoring Aaron Mahi in Vivace, a fundraiser benefiting the Society at the Waiʻalae Country Club this evening. Adorned in a sea of maile and flower lei, Mahi, the director of KAGC graciously led the group in some of the Club's most famous numbers including Hole Waimea, Puʻuwaʻawaʻa and Kamehameha March.

Many of those in attendance were family, friends and long time supporters of Aaron's and included members of the various choirs he directs, civic groups, charitable organizations as well as the newest members of his professional ʻohana the great folks from Partners in Development with whom he is currently working on the Hawaiian Bible project.

A great time was had by all and invited guests and performers were treated to a great time with great music to honor a great man. Mahalo Aaron!