Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 1988 — Grew Up in Musical Kalama Family [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Grew Up in Musical Kalama Family

Lone Hawaiian in Famed Choir Born in Nanakuli

By Debor«ih Lee Ward, Assistant Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA A love of song and dance nurtured in a Nanakuli child raised in a musical family has unfolded in a lifetime devoted to the art for the only Hawaiian member today of the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Jackie Kalama Maynard, now of West Valley City, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City, was one of seven girls and five boys born to Virginia and William Kalama of Nanakuli. Growing up in a musical culture, singing, dancing and performing were "like breathing" says Maynard, who was known more as a dancer than a singer at home. Three of her siblings are musical entertainers — sister Puanani Kalama Akiona sings evenings at the Hawaiian Hut and on weekends with the Royal Hawaiian Band; another sister, Kealoha Kalama, is well known for her Hawaiian music and her Halau O Pohai Kealoha; her youngest brother, Vernon Kalama, has performed with Dick Jensen and Don Ho. Maynard graduated from Waipahu High School in 1957 and in 1959 left Hawai'i to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, where she met her husband, Jim Maynard. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), he had served his mission in Hawai'i and became very familiar with Hawai'i's people and culture. After graduating from college, the eouple both entered the teaching field. He is still active in teaching, while she is retired from a career as a

social studies teacher at Salt Lake City high schools in order to devote more time to her family. She now works part time for the Hail Center Theater-in-the-round. The Maynards have three children who also carry on the family love of music: oldest daughter Syndy Maynard Lambert graduated from the University of Utah and is a professional piano teacher.

She lives in Salt Lake City nearby with her husband and daughter, Lindsey Ka'iulani Lambert. Second daughter Nalani Lanell Maynard Holt is a recently married BYU graduate in broadcasting. The youngest Maynard is son Miehael James, a high school senior who at 6'8" was rated most valuable player on his school basketball team. He sings with his school's madrigal group. While none of the children as yet aspire to join one of America's best known religious choirs (minimum age to join is 30 years), Jackie Maynard says they have the capability to be in the choir. She was in Hawaii in June for the first-time ever concert tour by the Choir to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia, where the group represented the United States at the Brisbane Bicentennial Exposition. A soprano in the choir for 16 years, Maynard has traveled with the group twice to Europe, Scandinavia, the Orient, Mexico, across Canada and the United States East Coast. In the Hawai'i concert, she was featured soloist for the Hawaiian portion of the program, with selections including Aloha Oe and Hawai'i Aloha. While Maynard now holds the distinction of being the only Hawai'i member of the choir, another former Hawai'i resident was in the choir until she retired a few years ago. Ihe choir members are all unpaid volunteers who "sing for the love of music and love of God," says Maynard. When not on tour, they are kept very busy with a weekly radio program whieh in 1989 will mark its 60th year. There are also Christmas concerts and twice a year concerts for the general membership.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir singer Jacqueline (Jackie) Kalama Maynard and one of her sisters, Puanani Kaiama Akiona, of Honolulu.