Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 3, 1 March 2017 — 97th Annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest [ARTICLE]

97th Annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest

Friday, March 17 at the Neil Blaisdell Genter Arena Bust out the colors and gather the family in front of the television: the Song Contest featuring the exquisite music of Bina Mossman is about to eommenee. The pre-show starts at 6:30 p.m. on March 17 and

the live broadcast at 7:30 p.m. on KGMB. During the reigns of King Kalākaua and Queen Liliu'okalani, the monarchy delighted in music, using it to express a range of emotions as well as honor special people, places and events. They encouraged glee clubs, musical events and activities.

Bina Mossman was born in 1893, the year the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown. At age 21, she started the first all-Hawaiian girls glee club. As the club was rehearsing one day, Queen Lili'uokalani happened by and offered suggestions to the young ladies. Later she invited them to rehearse at her home where

she mentored them and introduced them to old Hawaiian music. Bina Mossman's granddaughter is Bina Chun, and in 2014 Dr. Miehael and Bina Chun gifted a chest of Mossman's musical eompositions, lyrical notes and choral arrangements to the Kamehameha Kapālama High School and Choral Department.

At the 97th Annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest we will be fortunate enough to glimpse into the past through this treasure trove of musical selections froman age gone by. The evening's theme: Na'u e Lei: The Music of Bina Mossman. ■

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