Hawaiʻi’s performing arts include traditions with distinct histories, from Hawaiian hula and mele to theater, dance, and orchestral music. Some performances center one tradition. Others bring artists from different backgrounds together to create something new. Knowing the difference can help you choose an event and appreciate the work onstage.
At the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, we contribute to this landscape through orchestral performances, music connected to Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, and collaborations with local artists. If you're exploring live performances across the islands, here is how to find experiences that match your interests and plan a visit.
Different Traditions, Different Ways of Performing
Hula, oli (chant), and mele (song or poetry) are rooted in Native Hawaiian culture. They are not simply styles to be added to a general “island music” program. A performance by a hula hālau may center particular stories, practices, and relationships passed through its teachers.
Hawaiʻi also has longstanding communities whose music and performing arts include traditions from Japan, China, the Philippines, and elsewhere in the Pacific and beyond. A taiko performance, a theatrical production, and a symphonic concert may all appear on a local arts calendar without serving the same purpose or following the same audience customs.
A useful distinction is whether a program presents a tradition on its own terms or is an intentional collaboration among artists. Neither is automatically more authentic or more representative of Hawaiʻi. The program description and the artists involved are the best starting points.
How We Bring Different Musical Voices Into the Concert Hall
Our mission connects orchestral performance with Hawaiʻi’s cultural life and the wider Pacific. This commitment takes different forms depending on the repertoire and the people involved.
For example, our February 2026 HapaSymphony concert with Keauhou paired the Hawaiian music ensemble with a full orchestra. That is one kind of collaboration: local artists bring their own musical practice to a shared stage, rather than the orchestra claiming to represent every Hawaiian tradition.
Another example shows a different cultural connection. In February 2026, our Brahms and the Black Dragon program featured Honolulu composer Donald Reid Womack’s Black Dragon, performed by geomungo player Yoon Jeong Heo with the orchestra. The geomungo is a traditional Korean string instrument. The program placed that work alongside music by Messiaen and Brahms.
Both are past programs, not announcements of upcoming performances. They illustrate why looking at the featured artists and the actual repertoire tells you more than a broad label like “multicultural concert.”
Where to Explore Live Performing Arts
A performance-centered visit can take several forms. These organizations offer different starting points, and their calendars should be checked independently.
| Organization or venue | Where | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, including concerts at Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall | Honolulu, Oʻahu | Orchestral repertoire, featured artists, and documented collaborations with Hawaiʻi and Pacific musical voices |
| Hawaiʻi Theatre Center | Downtown Honolulu, Oʻahu | Theater, music, and other live performances at a historic venue that opened in 1922 and reopened after restoration in 1996 |
| Maui Arts & Cultural Center | Kahului, Maui | An independently operated calendar of concerts, dance, theater, and cultural events |
| Merrie Monarch Festival | Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island | A festival centered on the perpetuation of hula, with competitions and related cultural events |
To compare dates, use the Hawaiʻi Theatre event calendar, the Maui Arts & Cultural Center calendar, or the official Merrie Monarch Festival website, as well as our latest concert announcements.
An event at one of these venues does not mean our orchestra is involved. If you're traveling between islands for a particular performance, verify its location and ticketing requirements before arranging transportation.
Choosing a Performance That Matches Your Interests
Start with what you want to hear or learn, not just the venue name.
Interested in hula and Hawaiian-language performance? Seek out a hālau presentation or a festival program whose descriptions identify the performers and the tradition being presented.
Curious about musical collaborations? Look for the named guest artists and repertoire. Our past HapaSymphony programs offer examples of how Hawaiian performers and an orchestra can work together.
Want to hear orchestral music in a broader cultural context? Read the program notes. A concert might pair works from different musical histories without trying to blend them into a single style.
Planning an evening out? Compare the performance date, running time, venue, and admission rules before making dinner or transportation plans.
Not every program is designed for children, includes a pre-concert talk, or offers flexible seating. Use the event listing rather than assuming the format.
When to Go and How to Book
Performances take place throughout the year, but there is no single statewide performing-arts calendar that guarantees every listing is current. Annual festivals follow their own schedules; orchestra and theater programs are announced by their respective organizations.
For our concerts, start with the event information on our website and review the HSO ticketing FAQ. It identifies our Box Office and Blaisdell/Ticketmaster as authorized ticketing channels for HSO events. Do not assume that a free community performance requires no reservation, or that a previously offered program is returning this season.
For another presenter’s performance, use that organization’s official box office and visitor instructions. Check the actual venue before planning your route, since our concerts and other arts performances are not all held in the same hall.
Attending With Respect
Thoughtful audience behavior begins with the performers and the event itself. At an oli, hula presentation, or other culturally specific performance, follow the host's directions about when to enter, applaud, or take photographs. Do not assume that filming or walking into a performance area is permitted because an event is public.
The same principle applies at an orchestra concert: put away devices when required, avoid interrupting performers, and follow usher instructions if you need to step out. If you are unfamiliar with a tradition, reading the program and listening to the introduction is a useful way to learn without treating the performance as an attraction detached from its community.
Plan Your Next Cultural Evening
Choose the performance first, then organize the rest of the evening around its location and start time. A HapaSymphony-style collaboration may appeal to someone interested in hearing familiar music in a new arrangement. A hula festival or a theater production offers a different experience, with its own artists and context.
If you would like to explore how we connect orchestral music with Hawaiʻi, start with our current concerts. For questions about an HSO performance or ticket, contact our Box Office & Patron Services team. We're happy to help you find the information for the event you're considering.