The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-14

| the committee to speak in behalf of
proposed Hawaiian song chorus, as pre-
scented in the following letter of Thee
dore Richards:
March 10, 1906,
Secretary H. P. Wood, Hawaii Pro
motion Committee, Honolulu.
| My Dear Sir: It has occurred to m
that possibly your committee ma!
have underestimated the possibilities
Of the coming music festival as {
means not only of advertising the is
lands but Of pleasing such v.sitv.s a
may already be here. The festival is
assured and is arranged for April 2
and IS. AS to the first event. wniCt
has been called the children's carnival
the Honolulu public is only begll4-. II
! to be aware of the unique character
| of this open air concert o. >nllut -. az
| three hundred who comprise the Choir
uses ill comparatively the stand in the
| Boys Field and represent four of our
| leading public schools They are ad-
mira bly, led by Mrs. Tucker-so well
| led that L doubt if many cities could
improve on the character of the music
from that point of view alone. When
| it is considered, however that they
represent all nationalities and are
colors and national colors, the event
may well have called forth such en-
thusiastic comments as the late New
ms Armstrong made in a New York
paper.
The second event, in the Opera
House, April %, will be the best must
cal output of the city from a chorus
point of view. The three hundred
fresh, young voices come from much
older grade than is drawn from in the
carnival al the Boys Field. Kameha-
meha School, Oahu College, the Nor
NAL School, the High School, Mills
institute furnish a selected number of
voices We will be supported by q
band and are arranging for a soloist
from the Coast. AS this chorus is al
ready drilled in the different schools
before coming to the final rehearsal
excellent music is assured. Here, too,
the nationalities are well represented
SO that racial amalgamation makes an
study to the visitor from
the mainland
There is another very interesting
feature which could be arranged for
which is not now a part of our plan.
l ventured to suggest the same a year
ago, but there was not then -he
chinery capable of handling it. I re-
fer to another evening of Hawaiian
songs. 1 believe that if Immediate
steps were taken competitive choruses
Of Hawaiian people could be gathered
from all over the islands. They are
tremendously enthusiastic in their
training and would come with some
BILE results. 1t has been my
experience to assist in several Ha-
n 10 n
Opera House some five years ago,
when the place was crowded and I |
financial results were large. If imme- !
late announcement of large prize |
n the shape of a purse would be Of |
erred for the best choruses of, say, |
fifty voices at least, and the conditions |
II the competitions We're announced |
or example, so many points for at
ack, finish. character of selection,
tc.-I have no doubt that, notwith-
tanding the limited time left there
would be some fine results
"The churches connected with the |
hawaiian Evangelical Association are
and every one of them is
BILE to bring together a surprisingly
,ood chorus at their quarterly exhibit
ion or .'hoikes''. Every year, how
yer. will see a diminution of the
hance of this sort of thing.
L remem Der hearing at Kaluaaha
cine six or seven years ago a number {
trained choruses the like of which
ould not be improved upon in many 4
laces in America Considering style {
f the music rendered), and it is safe
D say that but few of the Hawaiians
4 those choruses had ever left the is
and of Molokai I venture these sug-
estions repeating that the first two .
vents are arranged for and will be a
uccess anyway, as we have had two
God seasons already. If you care to
AXE up the third no doubt the three'I ,
vents could be advertised on the (
as the most interesting mu- .
ical combina ton which could be fur
ished anywhere in America.
Hoping that these suggestions will
e of value to you, I am, yours very
ruly. THEODORE RICHARDS.
*The Hawaiian Evangelical Associa-
ion meets on May Il of this year, So
hat large numbers of Hawaians will
'e here in the city anyway and might
asily come to such a Hawaiian even
ng of song some time in the first week
e May. T. r.
Mr.. Turner said he thought a Ha-
vaiian song chorus would prove great
ourist attraction and he suggested
hat the committee put up purse of
ay 5000. He thought the chorus might
,e combined with the annual Festival
If Song to be given in the Opera House
n April.
Various members of the committee
hought the whole idea was an excellent
ne, but assured Mr.. Turner that the
.ommittee could not possibly put I'D any