HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Behind the unmistakable sound of Hawaiian music lies a rich history explored by Hawaii nonprofits.
Pacific Strings’ Kealakai Center celebrates the role and influence of Hawaiian music and musicians in the evolution of popular music.
Kilin Reece, founder of KCPS, said:
This year, the organization launched two ground-breaking virtual platforms with the help of Hui, which includes leading manufacturers of stringed instruments.
“Martin and the Fender guitar company have joined us in our work to tell the world what awaits this story, this local string story,” said Reece.
The center is building an online exhibit called the Pacific String Museum, showcasing stringed instruments that belonged to Hawaiian royalty, recording artists, and others handed down by local families for generations. .
Photographs and video recordings of stringed instruments give viewers an immersive experience so they can hear what stringed instruments sound like today.
“What they really can do is be like a telegraph cable, connecting us with many visionary artists, musicians and composers,” Reese said.
An accompanying project is the creation of the Pumanamana Mele Index, which includes sheet music, liner notes, and composer writings that tell the stories behind the music, along with a vast collection of recordings dating back to the early 1900s.
KCPS President Noah Ha’alilio Solomon said:
Through this groundbreaking production, KCPS hopes to show the world the power of Hawaiian music.
“All of these traditions and genres as we know them around the world today, including blues, bluegrass, western swing, country, and jazz, trace their origins to this place and show how the world has borrowed them. I’m sure we can, from Hawaii,” said Reese.
KCPS plans to have the virtual platform ready by late January or early February.
Click here for more information and how you can help in this effort.
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