Celebrate the holiday season at ‘Maui Pops’

“Holiday Pops” will feature music by the Maui Pops Orchestra and Na Leo Lani O Maui (pictured).
KAHULUI – Join in a musical celebration of the season! The Maui Pops Orchestra will present its annual “Holiday Pops” concert on Sunday, Dec. 8, beginning at 3 p.m. in the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater.
As always, the Maui Pops provides a blended concert to suit a variety of musical tastes. The first half of the program features special guest pianist Hyperion Knight performing Grieg’s “First Piano Concerto” with the orchestra. One of the most popular piano concertos ever composed, it’s a Romantic Era classic.
After intermission, the orchestra welcomes Na Leo Lani O Maui, Maui’s Hawaiian Community Choir under the direction of Gale Wisehart and Kumu Uluwehi Guerrero, to join the Maui Pops for a program of holiday favorites titled “Peace On Earth.”
Knight has been a frequent and much requested guest of the Maui Pops Orchestra. Born in Berkeley, California, he graduated at age 19 from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
He received both a Master’s Degree and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He was awarded the Arthur Loesser Prize upon graduation – all by the age of 22!
Known for the diversity of his repertoire, Knight is equally at home in serious classics and popular standards. His recordings range from Beethoven to the Beatles.
In addition to regular appearances with orchestras across the U.S., Knight also makes frequent concert presentations on luxury cruise lines such as Silversea, Seabourn, Holland America and Celebrity.
Sponsorship for Knight’s performance is provided by Auriol Flavell, whose 90th birthday is also being celebrated with this concert.
Hailing from Maui, Guerrero is an internationally acclaimed, Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning vocalist and recording artist.
Singing in both traditional and contemporary styles, he has performed for audiences from New York’s Carnegie Hall to top venues throughout Japan, both as a soloist and with Hawaii greats.
His biennial concert at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center with his Halau Hula Kauluokala is always a sellout.
Wisehart has directed many choirs, including the Olivet Nazarene traveling high school choir of 400 members and an adult choir of 300 members. He has also directed church choirs in Arizona and California.
Wisehart, along with Guerrero, formed Na Leo Lani O Maui in February 2007. As co-directors of the choir, their philosophy is to perpetuate the Hawaiian language and culture.
The choir has 80 members, with all music arranged by Wisehart.
“Holiday Pops” is supported in part by the Maui County Office of Economic Development, Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaii and by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Tickets are $15 to $50 plus applicable fees; half price for students 18 and under in the $50/$40/$30 price sections.
Call the MACC Box Office at (808) 242-SHOW or visit www.mauiarts.org/tickets.
For those who would like to purchase season tickets to all three Maui Pops concert performances at a discounted price before the first concert on Dec, 8, call the MACC Box Office and tell them you would like the three-concert, season ticket offer.