Caption:The ladies and gentlemen of the ASCC Chamber Singers, pictured here, will travel to Honolulu this month to perform in the Hawaii International Choral Festival. This marks the first occasion when a group from American Samoa will participate in the prestigious event. (Courtesy Photo)

ASCC music instructor Kuki Tuiasosopo said the students from the College will join together with more than a dozen other participating choral groups for a performance of the Elijah, an elaborate oratorio composed by Felix Mendelssohn in the 1800s. “The Elijah depicts the life of the Old Testament prophet,” explained Tuiasosopo.  “You could compare an oratorio to an opera, except that the oratorio does not include a dramatic or lavish stage production, but just tells the story through the singing. The Elijah takes several hours to perform in its entirety, and features 43 musical pieces, which include solos, recitatives, arias, duets, and quartets in addition to the combined chorus.”  

            Describing the ongoing rehearsals for the Elijah, Tuiasosopo credits the ASCC students for their perseverance. “Because they have never attempted a piece of music as sophisticated as the Elijah, they faced a challenge with learning the music, and had to work hard at getting the correct pitches and rhythmic patterns while they familiarized themselves with the different musical structures of the piece.” Nevertheless, Tuiasosopo feels that all the effort will pay off as the students gain experience previously unavailable to them. “We want to introduce our young people to a new level of musical performance which includes, among other things, etiquettes and protocols,” he explained. “To broaden their horizons in music, we want to take them ‘out of the box’ and place them in a musical atmosphere full of people with a strong background and a firm foundation in performing arts, music education, and other academic and performance areas in music.” 
 
            In addition to the rehearsals for the Elijah, the ASCC students will attend workshops offered by music scholars and professional musicians from Hawaii and the mainland.  These workshops will include vocal master classes with opera singers from such as, Karina Gauvin (Soprano), Margaret Lattimore (Mezzo Soprano), Keith Ikaika-Purdy (Tenor), and Leon Williams (Baritone). “Dr. Jane Moulin of the U.H. Manoa Music Department has also organized a social event where our students will meet the music professors and music majors at U.H.,” said Tuiasosopo. “It will showcase some of the different ethnic music ensemble classes at UH, which include the Tahitian Ensemble, Samoan Ensemble, Maori Ensemble, Hawaiian Ensemble, Hawaiian Hula and Chant Ensemble, and Hawaiian Chorus Ensemble.  Our students have prepared their own program of Samoan music and dance to share at this event.”

Tuiasosopo, who earned his Masters degree in Ethnomusicology from U.H. Manoa, recalled how his own experiences as a student and teacher of music culminated with the forthcoming trip. “As a student, I had the opportunity to participate in numerous choral festivals in Hawaii as a member of the U.H. Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Hawaiian Chorus, and the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, where I performed master works such as Carmina Burana (by Carl Orff), Messiah (by George Frideric Handel), and Chichester Psalms (by Leonard Bernstein). I realized what luck I had as a young Samoan to perform master works by classical composers with professional musicians.  I thought of how more Samoans should have the same opportunities, especially the young people.  I kept that in my mind and in my heart, and set a goal that one day I would see our young people performing renowned musical works by famous classical composers in a prestigious concert hall.   

“When I joined the faculty at ASCC as a music instructor, I contacted my colleague back in Hawaii, Joseph McCalister, executive director of the Oahu Choral Society, and asked about the possibility of ASCC students attending the annual Hawaii International Choral Festival.  I talked about how participating in the festival would provide a great learning experience for our young people.  I remembered him saying ‘Kuki, our doors will always be open to your students.’  I then asked him to send formal letters of invitation to our President, Dr. Adele Satele-Galea’i, my Department Chair, Namulauulu Dr. Paul Pouesi, and Vice President Dr. Seth Galea`i.  In addition, Mr. McCalister waved the festival audition for our students.”

With their invitation secured, Tuiasosopo and the Chamber Singers next had to undertake not only lots and lots of rehearsal, but also lots and lots of fundraising to pay their own way to Hawaii. After a series of fundraising activities, including bake sales, a raffle, and plate lunch sales, and solicitations for donations to local businesses, Tuiasosopo still hopes that he and the students will raise enough to cover their travel expenses. “In addition to airfare and accommodations, we have already paid a festival fee of $120 per student to the Oahu Choral Society,” he said. Our students have agreed that their parents will cover half of their airfare, while we will cover the other half through the Chamber Singers’ account.” Tuiasosopo acknowledged the assistance of Poponut Travel in arranging discounted airfare for the travelers.
            Other visiting ensembles performing The Elijah alongside the ASCC Chamber Singers will include the Oral Village Ideas Theatre Choral Group (Ghana, Africa), the Teapot Summer Choral School (New Zealand), Newton Choral Society (Massachusetts), Livermore Chorale (California), Combined Choir of Nelson (New Zealand), The Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus (Australia), Cantori Domino Chorale (California), Arlington Chorale (Texas), Tokyo Chorale (Japan), Santa Barbara Chorale (California), and the Berkshire Choral Society Festival Chorus. In addition to the host choir, the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, many more choral groups from within the Aloha State will also participate.

            The ASCC Chamber Singers consists of  Aleesha Mavaega, Julia Ma’ilo, Ailua Leota, Iliganoa Patricia Leota, Susana Lepou and Avoka Malu (Soprano); Eileen Faumuina, Marie Leseali’i, and Paenu’ulasi Moetulu (Alto); Marion Tony Fulu, Ernest Seva’aetasi, Suipi Ta’ala, and Ulaese Vince Collins (Tenor); and Erik Tue and Vincent Tuiolemotu (Bass). 

            Tuiasosopo will accompany the local students to Honolulu, along with ASCC Fine Arts Department Chairman Namulauulu Dr. Paul Pouesi and chaperone Anna Failauga. To learn more about the festival, visit the web page: http://www.oahuchoral.com/festival.htm.

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