Re: 's 90th annual Kamehameha Song Contest -Escape to Hawai'i anytime

[Guest guest]

Aloha!

Just got up after an exciting evening last night at 's very first Song

Contest. For the Freshman

class, it is their debut experience and really helps classmates bond. It is

's dream to direct her fellow

women next year...she made the ballot (5 students do) this year (which is hard

to do)...

For those of you who want to escape to my beautiful island for some respite you

can replay Song Contest at

http://bit.ly/kssong 

Went to Song Contest with my brother from the island of Kaua'i (his daughter is

a Senior), my

Aunt Dot (who will celebrate HER 90th birthday this year) and a very good friend

who owns a company that

close captioned the pre-show and event and was thrilled to get a rare ticket.

Miss Aubrey spent the evening with her PA's family. They were excited to get to

see " The Princess and

the Frog " ...compliments of Aubrey's family.

Actually had to finish making 's haku lei in the car. A haku is a

headpiece lei...their muus are WHITE...

's haku started with a leather fern base, white baby's breath, and smaller

roses which opened beautifully.

We took a lot of pix...(I really have to get on Facebook this week)

The music was so beautiful all evening, especially the faculty/student singing

and students dancing hula during the " Ho'ike "  (traditional songs about 'Oahu

this year) which is performed during the judging portion after the contest.

The first portion of Ho'ike is ancient hula and then last half if more modern

hula. You'd love it!

As a music specialist for 30 some years, I personally think the " Senior Sweep "

was a bit questionable.

In person, the Junior Coed number was " chicken skin " (goosebumps) as we say in

Hawai'i, and truly deserved the combined award...but the seniors are great kids

and worked so hard and what a way to go out this year! 's class had a

great debut...They sang " Roselani " (rose from heaven) thus I made the rose haku

for her...she'll dry it and keep it as a souvenier of the evening.

Irma, when we got home we watched some of it, and you're so right, the

" commentators " need to take

some lessons from Hamilton's crew. also remarked about how some of

the students behaved

last night...but I think all in all when you think of highschoolers being able

to sit still and show respect the

way 's peers do, I think it's pretty amazing. It's so cute how the boys

jump up and cheer after their female

classmates sing and vice versa...I also loved how all the other classes gave the

Juniors a standing ovation after their

coed number. I'll have to watch the DVR of show and look for what you're

seeing...

Found out last night that Song Contest actually started as a way to decompress

students because of high academic

and sports rigors...the irony now being that Song Contest is probably the most

stressful event of their school year!

As I sat their in the audience I was sooo sad, too though. I thought of how

Aubrey, with her self-talk and inability to

sit quietly for that long was so missed. If only... Though I know I shouldn't

say it out loud, the most significant part of the evening for this mommy, was

that it was amazing to sit and feel like a " normal " parent for a few hours.

That was the longest I have been away from Aubrey in many months. Nonetheless,

when she was so excited to see her mommy again, that was the best feeling all

evening...

I figured you guys would understand the significance of my brief taste

of freedom and normalcy. Heavy stuff.

Here's to roses!

IMUA!

Desi 

 

________________________________

To:

Sent: Sat, March 20, 2010 2:56:42 AM

Subject: Re: 's 90th annual Kamehameha Song Contest -Escape to

Hawai'i this evening!

 

Desi,

This was beautiful but sure got distracted with the comments over on the

right hand side?

Students? Sounds like, always competing but should show some good

sportsmanship.

Hope you took a picture of the haku you weaved, sure sounds lovely.

Irma

On Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 12:17 PM, Desi McKenzie <desimckenzie@ yahoo.com>wrote:

>

>

> Aloha listmates,

>

> I am soo excited today! Sitting here weaving a haku out of red baby roses,

> baby's breath and fern, for Aubrey's older sister 's special evening

> tonite. As a Freshman at the Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus on the

> island of 'Oahu, tonite is her very first song contest!

>

> I thought I would share the link to the opportunity to watch it streamed

> live this evening. Though many of you will probably be sleeping by the time

> it

> starts here, if you want a taste of what is the most amazing and authentic

> musical tradition here in Hawai'i-THIS is it-the ultimate respite

> opportunity!

>

> http://www.ksbe. edu/2010/ song-contest/

>

> Tonite's 90th annual Kamehameha Song Contest is a truly rare tradition.

> There is no other private school in the country that does this. The haunting

> Hawaiian melodies and lyrics the haumana (students) will be singing will

> move your musical soul in a way it never has been before.

>

> This year's performances will feature Hawaiian " classic " songs. The

> Freshman (400 plus strong) sing a coed number (in five-seven parts), while

> the Sophomores, Junior and Seniors each sing womens, mens and a coed number.

> The classes compete against each other for koa trophies, but for so much

> more than that-class pride!

>

> There is also a news site you may access for information in the morning @

>

> http://hawaiinewsnow.com

>

> It is rare that a Freshman Class wins the coed competition, but is has

> happened! will be standing in the top row second in-just look for

> the shortest girl! If I can get even more specific, as to where she's

> standing, I'll post it!

>

> IMUA!

> desi

>

> _

>