Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 2, 1 February 2006 — Leila Kīʻaha services [ARTICLE]

Leila Kīʻaha services

Services have been set for Sat. , Feb. 4 for the late Martha Kaumakaokalani Hohu "Aunty Leila" Kl'aha, who passed away in Ianuary. Visitation at the Kamehameha Schools Bernice Paualii Bishop Chapel will eommenee at noon. Funeral service at 3 p.m. with private scattering of the ashes on Moloka'i at a later date. A 1944 graduate of the Kamehameha Schools, Kl'aha was herself an institution at her alma mater. As a musical arranger and choral conductor, she was synonymous with the Kapālama campus' annual song contest. "Where's the melody?" she would often ask when listening to intricate choral arrangements performed by her students. Next month's song contest will feature musical arrangements by Kl'aha that she worked on right up to the time of her death. See BRIEFS on page Ū4

BRIEFS

Cūntinued fram page 03 Associated all her life with Kaumakapili Church, Kī'aha was the daughter of musical legend Martha Poepoe Hohu, church choir director and organist, who was considered an expert in hlmeni Hawai'i (Hawaiian hymns). Like her daughter, Hohu was exemplary in perpetuating Hawaiian choral singing and was a stickler for enunciation, 'ōlelo Hawai'i and phrasing. Aunty Leila was preceded in death by her husband Charlie Kl'aha. She is survived by sons Charles, Gregg, Mark, Danny; daughter Marthalei; nine mo'opuna (grandchildren); and five mo'opuna kuakalii (greatgrandchildren). She touched the hves of thousands whom she taught at Kamehameha, and in numerous community choral groups ranging from the Kailua Hawahan Civic Club to the Hawahan Telephone Hui Mele Nani.

NŪ HOU • NEWSBRIEFS