Spring Wind Quintet Brings ‘Paka‘a’ To Paliku Stage Oct. 10
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Del.icio.usChamber Music Hawaii mixes sound with story to portray the tale of Paka’a, a boy who tamed the winds of Kaua’i. Paka’a will take the stage Oct. 3 at Doris Duke Theatre Honolulu Academy of Arts and Oct. 10 at Paliku Theatre in Kaneohe. Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Composer Jon Magnussen will narrate the story in accompaniment to the score he wrote for Chamber Music Hawaii’s Spring Wind Quintet.
“It takes a lot of practice to fit the words of the story with the music. With six of us performing the piece flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon and narrator we all have to know what the others are doing at any given moment, and that takes getting used to,” says Magnussen. “But it’s so much fun working with the Spring Wind Quintet musicians. I hope that will translate during the performance.”
Magnussen came upon the story of Paka’a while searching for a tale that would be a good fit for Spring Wind Quintet. Paka’a can be found in Frederic B. Wichman’s Polihale and Other Kauai Legends, as well as Thomas Thrum’s More Hawaiian Folk Tales.
“Paka’a is a preteen boy with ambition much larger than his age. Through the piece he has to figure out how to balance persistence with patience,” adds Magnussen, who grew up on Kaua’i and now lives and teaches at Hawaii Pacific University. “At the same time, the music is telling the story without words, through melody, rhythm, instrumental color and so on. There are so many fun elements at play storytelling, ocean navigation, the old ways of fishing. It’s a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to taking Paka’a on tour in the schools.”
Magnussen also is looking forward to the adventure opening night can bring and hopes the audience will experience a heartwarming story with themes of love, respect, courage, rejection, acceptance, family and community intertwined.
“They’ll meet our protagonist, Paka’a, his mother La’amaomao and his uncle Ma’ilou. They’ll learn that Paka’a is growing up without his own blood father, that he’s frustrated with the over-protectiveness of his mother and uncle, and that he wants to get out in the world and make something of himself,” says Magnussen.
Tickets for Paka’a cost $20 to $25, with free admission for students with proper identification. Tickets can be purchased through the CMH ticket line at 4895038, or go to chambermusichawaii.org.
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