Education Concerts:
The Story of Hōkūleʻa
about
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hōkūleʻa maiden voyage to Tahiti in 1976, this narrated performance features selections from Michael-Thomas Foumai’s "Raise Hawaiki." With visual and historical photo projections, this education performance explores the story of Hōkūleʻa, Polynesian Wayfinding, and the values of exploration and environmental stewardship through music and storytelling. The event includes pre-concert activities in partnership with PVS, such as learning about the Star Compass and viewing of Hōkūleʻa artifacts.
DATES: Wednesday April 15, 2026
PERFORMANCE TIMES: 9:30AM - 10:15AM OR 10:45AM - 11:30AM
BUS ARRIVAL TIMES: 9:00AM OR 10:15AM
LOCATION: Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave, Honolulu, HI 96814
COST: FREE with registration
WHO CAN ATTEND: 4th-12th grade students, teachers, and chaperones
Registration
To attend the Educational Concert Showings, educators and administrators can sign up through the following interest form by clicking on the button below.
Please send any questions or inquiries to mdoezema@hawaiisymphonyorchestra.org
Meet the composer
Dr. Michael-Thomas Foumai serves as the Director of Artistic Engagement and the Susan Kosasa Composer in Residence for the Hawai'i Symphony Orchestra (HSO). His orchestral compositions have been performed by prominent conductors, including Yannick Nézet-Séguin with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Lidiya Yankovskaya with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Lina Gonzalez-Granados with the National Symphony Orchestra, Sarah Hicks with the Seattle Symphony, Edwin Outwater with the San Francisco Symphony, and George Manahan with the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. In 2019, Dr. Foumai was selected for the 17th class of the Pacific Century Fellows. He is currently a faculty member at the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu and holds degrees in music composition: a Bachelor of Music from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and both a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan.