This week and last, we had the enormous pleasure of two special guest coaches, Kumu Hula Lauren Kanoelani Chang Williams of Hālau Nā Pua Hala, and Sweet Adelines Master Director Kathy Scheel of Oregon Spirit Chorus. Kumu Lauren offered vital guidance on pronunciation and interpretation and inspired us with her beautiful hula. Kathy Scheel filled us with energy and excitement and underscored the importance of exacting attention detail as we prepare for our upcoming contest performance in Reno. Thank you so much for your expertise and insights, Kumu Lauren and Kathy!
See below for a short video clip and photos of these special events.
This is aloha!
Director Chris and Kumu Lauren
Master Director Kathy Scheel and NLL Director ChrisWhat a spirited group!
We were thrilled to welcome seven guests, including new faces and old friends, at this week’s Membership Night. From the ribbon twirling warmups to a spirited round of tags, it was a nonstop evening of singing, laughter, and fun.
In an interlude between working on our contest songs and a hilarious round-robin game of Betty Boop (and Popeye and Wolf!) (see pic below), members shared how they came to Na Leo Lani and what they love about it.
Rosie spoke of how singing with the chorus had been a source of solace and uplift after her mother’s passing and a long stint volunteering at Hospice Hawaii. Summer, April, and others said they loved the sense of community they have found at NLL. JoAnne — hands down our most radiant and glamorous member — described how singing with Na Leo Lani has kept her young. She is now 88, and her daughter tells her she should never quit! And proving that we are never too old to expand our skill set and build our résumés, Ruth, now in her nineties, imparted how being a part of Na Leo Lani for so many years had put her in line for a leadership position at her assisted living facility, where she now heads the hymn-singing group.
Young or old, singing in harmony is our secret to feeling connected and finding joy!
Thanks so much, ladies, for making our January membership night a success. Let’s continue to grow!
Kinetic warmups with ribbon dancingOur Membership Night guests!Playing “Betty Boop” takes stamina and attention! 😅
We had a great time this week performing at the Lanakila Senior Center. Like the expression “Imua a loaʻa ka lei o ka lanakila” (Go forth and win the lei of victory), singing for the public always feels like a win.
Mahalo nui loa to the Lanakila Senior Center for being a great audience and inviting us to lunch afterward.
If you like singing and performing, come check us out — visit our “Join Us” page for information on our weekly rehearsals or contact naleolanichorus[at]gmail.com
Join Na Leo Lani for an afternoon of holiday harmonies, barbershop-style on Saturday, December 9 for a delightful concert of a cappella music featuring Christmas favorites, local ‘kine tunes, and other songs of the season. Following the performance, stay for light refreshments and browse our holiday bazaar to find a perfect gift or unexpected bargain!
WHEN? Saturday, December 9, 3:30 p.m.
WHERE? Harris United Methodist Church, 20 South Vineyard Boulevard, Honolulu
WHAT? Na Leo Lani Holiday Concert, followed by a Holiday Bazaar and light refreshments
ADMISSION: $15 for adults, $10 for kids 7-14, FREE for little ones 6 and under
Tickets available via any Na Leo Lani member or at the door. For information, please contact naleolanichorus[at]gmail.com
On October 21, Na Leo Lani joined with members of Honolulu Blend Show Chorus and men from Sounds of Aloha to celebrate World Singing Day.
Following a picnic and talk story time, we circled up and sang. The gorgeous surroundings of Kapiolani Park and Diamond Head were especially inspiring as we harmonized tunes we knew in common and new songs we learned on the spot.
Special thanks to HBSC director, Stephanie Brictson, for organizing this event, as well as to NLL members who attended: Jojo, Anna, Yvonne, Charley, Deb, Summer, Rosie and Chris, and dual NLL and HSBC members Yvonne and Charley.
We love harmonizing with all of you!
Beautiful music in a beautiful settingDirectors Chris and StephanieBarbershop harmony in harmony with nature!
A fun night was had by all who attended our 48th anniversary party on August 26. We made mounds of salad and chowed down on soup and bread, reminisced about when we each became members (Wow! What stories!), and of course sang a few tunes to cap off the evening.
Thanks again to Deb for hosting the party at her condo, and to the rest of our board members for setting up and decorating.
The ladies of Na Leo Lani had a grand time on August 12 watching our brother chorus, Sounds of Aloha, perform in their annual show at the Hawai’i Theatre. This year’s theme was “Broadway Through The Years,” with special guest stars Shari Lynn, local chanteuse, and After Hours quartet. See photos from the event below.
What a blast we had on July 8 performing the two songs we learned for our summer program, as well as many other favorites from the Na Leo Lani repertoire. Making it even more special was a supportive turnout from sister choruses Honolulu Blend Show Chorus, Mission Valley Chorus (California), and Velvet Hills Chorus (Colorado).
After our performance, members of the audience and Na Leo Lani singers came up to participate in our first ever open mic event. It was a great afternoon of singing all around.
Many thanks to our summer program participants Summer, Marlene, Carolyn, and Donna — we hope you will continue singing with us! — and of course to all our chorus members and their families who made the event possible. Thanks most of all to Chris, our Director, for introducing these challenging but fun new songs. As she noted, they are still very much works in progress (hence our holding our sheet music in the video clip), but we covered a lot of ground in just six weeks and look forward to perfecting them further.
Enjoy the pics and video clips from the performance and open mic event below.
Amazing Summer Program participants Summer, Carolyn, and MarleneSandra from Mission Valley chorus and Chris Wee, NLL DirectorPure Nerves 2.0 with Anna pinch-hitting on bassFriends quartet reunited!A snippet from our new Summer Program song, “For Good”“How We Sang Today” joined by members Honolulu Blend Show Chorus, Mission Valley Chorus (California), and Velvet Hills Chorus (Colorado).Betsy tickling the ivories for open mic! A pop-up quartet of NLL members Chris and her husband, Phil, perform an open mic duet. Talk about nominative determinism — four variants of Carols, all of whom love caroling: Karlyn, Carolyn, Carol Kieko, and Carole!
Join us on Saturday, July 8 at 3:00 p.m. for a free concert featuring Na Leo Lani chorus and the singers in our Amazing Summer Program, and stay for our open mic event where YOU can show off your own amazing talents!
Where: Mo’ili’ili Hongwanji, 902 University Ave., Honolulu
When: Saturday, July 8, 2023. Doors open at 2:40 p.m. Concert at 3:00. Open mic 3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Pre-register for the open microphone event at:https://tinyurl.com/NLLOpenMic or scan the QR code below. The mic is limited to ten acts, so sign up now!
Suggested donation for open mic participation: $10 (cash calabash at the microphone).
Open mic performer guidelines:A cappella or with accompaniment. Bring your own instrument(s) / equipment. There will be a Bluetooth speaker available if you wish to use it. One song per person/group. Other types of talent (slam poetry, magic tricks, tap dance, tell jokes, and more!) are welcome, but please keep lyrics and language family-friendly and in good taste.
We can’t wait to sing for you and see you strut your stuff!