Kahilu Theatre presents the 12th annual Waimea Ukulele and Slack Key Guitar Institute from Thursday through Nov. 23. The Waimea Ukulele Festival, as it is widely known, will include four main concerts, master classes and a family day with free
Kahilu Theatre presents the 12th annual Waimea Ukulele and Slack Key Guitar Institute from Thursday through Nov. 23. The Waimea Ukulele Festival, as it is widely known, will include four main concerts, master classes and a family day with free entertainment and activities.
The festival kicks off at 7 p.m. Thursday with a kanikapila interactive concert, which is free to the public. The concert features an open call to audience members to bring their instruments and join the masters on stage. Mike Kaawa, Jeff Peterson, Richard and Kalai Hoopii and Benny Chong will lead the jam. Guest artist Vincenzo Martinelli will add some Latin styling to the Hawaiian classics.
At 7 p.m. Nov. 21, Danny Akaka will kick off a concert by presenting an oli for Dennis Kamakahi and Chino Montero, pillars of the institute, in whose honor this year’s festival is dedicated. Jazz ukulele maestro Chong will open the concert and introduce 13-year-old prodigy Aidan James – the youngest player ever at the Waimea Ukulele and Slack Key Guitar Institute. Slack key legend Ledward Kaapana and 12-string master Kaawa will bring their virtuosity to the stage for the second half, also including Alan Akaka on steel guitar.
A family day starts at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 22 with a drop-in hula class with Lanakila Mangauil onstage. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the theater will offer music and hands-on activities, including clowns, kalo pounding and makahiki games. Food trucks will be parked outside.
The following artists will offer master classes at 11 a.m. Nov. 22: Martinelli in Spanish and Latin guitar, plus Chong in ukulele for all ages. At 1 p.m., Richard Hoopii will give a class in falsetto singing and Peterson will cover songwriting and arranging. The classes last almost two hours. Registration is $30, register with the Kahilu box office at 885-6868.
A 7 p.m. Nov. 22 concert features three-time Hoku award-winner for male vocals, Nathan Aweau, and Grammy winner Peterson for the first half, bringing Martinelli for a guest set. One of Hawaii’s cultural treasures, Richard Hoopii and son, Kalai, lead the second half with an all-star house band. Richard Hoopii has a vocal range from deep bass to sweet falsetto.
At noon Nov. 23, the festival finale will feature special guest, Martinelli playing Spanish and classical guitar. The second half will be an open jam session with all institute musicians. Martinelli won a scholarship from the Italian government to study guitar at the Centro Romano della Gitarra in Italy and holds a master’s degree in music. He continues to study the art of guitar through the introduction of Spanish Flamenco music. He has studied and preformed with world-acclaimed Flamenco guitarist Robbie Varga and the Flamencodance group Luna Nueva.
The Kahilu galleries will feature an exhibit of handmade instruments from the Big Island Ukulele Guild, and will also feature the “Ukulele Perspectives” exhibit of hand-painted ukulele to be auctioned to support Kahilu education programs.
More information and tickets can be obtained at kahilutheatre.org and by calling 885-6868.
