As a singer, I have a real passion for music and dancing. Next Door’s “80’s Acid Wash Wednesdays” is a guaranteed good time; the Dragon Upstairs offers great jazz on Thursdays; and the martinis at Indigos are particularly nice on Aloha Fridays. But what about Saturdays, and what about this particular Saturday?
Nothing materialized until the last minute when my boyfriend called to tell me that his grandmother had surrendered to him a pair of tickets to see the Honolulu Symphony. I’ve been to my fair share of symphony concerts (in San Francisco, Boston, and even NYC’s Central Park) yet, unlike my other musical experiences (DJ, live, otherwise), classical music never seems as memorable. Unfortunately and embarrassingly, I often fall asleep or the music fails to appeal to me.
The symphony venue had been moved to Chaminade University’s Mamiya Theater due to the Lion King’s overwhelming change to the Blaisdell stage. Because of Mamiya Theater’s smaller location and stage, the event itself had been downsized and was a far more casual and intimate affair—adding a personable appeal. Surprisingly, there was no conductor for any of the pieces performed that evening. The musicians were professional and attentive and seemed follow the enthusiastic first violinist Ignace Jang’s lead. The first piece, Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G, performed only by a dozen players, was melodic and powerful. The second and third Mozart pieces featured delightful and memorable flute, harp, and French horn performances. The last piece by Edvard Grieg was particularly inspiring with nice sections of interchange between the second violin and viola, and nice cello and violin solos. The evening’s fine musicians displayed a deep passion for their music and reaffirmed my deep appreciation for the arts.
While the Symphony’s performance was the last of a special October series, I would highly recommend attending a local symphony concert–not just because I’m a starving artist myself, but because it’s a pleasant, thought-provoking change from the energetic, unrelenting Honolulu bar scene.
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