WAIMEA — North Hawaii Community Hospital was treated to an hour of live music last Friday morning when members of Hawaii Performing Arts Festival’s Junior Strings Program played a pop-up concert to entertain passersby early that day.
WAIMEA — North Hawaii Community Hospital was treated to an hour of live music last Friday morning when members of Hawaii Performing Arts Festival’s Junior Strings Program played a pop-up concert to entertain passersby early that day.
Under the direction of Edith Szendrey, Junior Strings program director, a group of student musicians ages 10 to 13 and a few teaching assistants of high school and college age assembled in the hospital halls to serenade. Patients and staff quickly made their way to the performance areas to enjoy the music.
“We wanted to share the students’ remarkable talents with people who are feeling the pressure of health issues,” Genette Freeman said, HPAF’s executive director. “A little music can certainly lift the soul and restore the spirit.”
And apparently that’s what happened. One of the surgical patients who preferred to remain anonymous said, “It was beautiful — it made the pain go away for at least a little bit.”
The hospital staff enjoyed the break in routine.
“This morning’s performance was such a gift,” Arielle Faith Michael said, Service Excellence and Holistic Team leader. “The music lifted us up and moved us to tears. Our healing environment shines brighter today because of the HPAF musicians.”
The Junior Strings students have come from around the world to Hawaii Island for HPAF’s 12th annual Festival.
Their final concert, the formal “String Finale,” will be on July 17 at 2 p.m. at Davies Chapel on the HPA campus in Waimea. The free performance is open to the public.