Sharing our birthday congratulations and warm wishes to four amazing NLL members β belated, but no less heartfelt: JoAnne and Charley (our May birthday gals) and Arlette and Jojo (June birthday gals)!
JoAnne is now 91 years old!!! Singing really does keep you fun-loving, fit, and fabulous.
Hereβs to another healthy, happy, and harmonious year around the sun!
On May 27, the chorus bid a very warm aloha βoe to longtime Na Leo Lani member and former President, Kieko, who is relocating to Australia. They showered her with lei, heartfelt song, and a very thoughtful card and surprise gift. Thank you so much, ladies!!!
I, Kieko (speaking in the first person here π ), will continue to serve as NLL webmistress for the time being, even from afar β so sisters in song, please keep sending me your photos and updates!!
Thanks for more than a decade of friendship, community, and harmony! Love you all! β€οΈ π π!!!
We had a super productive coaching session with Mark Conching this week as part of our preparation for our Sweet Adelines International Region 12 contest in Reno next month.
Mark was wearing his Honolulu Marathon finishers shirt, which felt appropriate, because preparing for contest really is a marathon, not a sprint!
Practice, practice, practice is key to getting that blend of barbershop harmony just right. Thank you so much, Mark, for holding us to account and for supporting our director, Chris, with your insights.
And wow, NLL ladies! You worked hard and it shows! πΆβ€οΈ!
We were so sad to say goodbye in January to our fantastic baritone, Kaori, who is moving back to Japan. Thank you for sharing your voice with us and all best wishes on your next adventures!
Congratulations to our November, December, and January birthdays gals on another full circle around the sun. May you have many more years ahead!
Late July is the time to strut our laid-back summer attitude, and no one does that better than Na Leo Lani. We rocked our summertime spirit this week and welcomed Noel and Pam. So lovely to sing with you again. π€©
Less than a month to go before our 50th Anniversary celebration! Have you bought your tickets yet? If not, click here for info.
Na Leo Lani members never cease to amaze. Whatβs our secret to gorgeous and graceful aging? Barbershop harmony, of course!! Whether we are soaring on the high notes or maintaining a strong foundation on those oh-so-low bass notes, Na Leo Laniβs commitment to a cappella music keeps us young, healthy and fit!
See our May, June, and July birthday girls βJoAnne, Charley, Arlette, Jojo, and Wally β who comprise just a few of our NLL wonder women!
If you are interested in seeing what Na Leo Lani is all about, come to one of our fun and lively rehearsals β weekly on Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Find out more here.
The women of Na Leo Lani thrive well into our late years. Have a look at the photos below and youβll see: our amazing Ruth turned 93 earlier this year, Vera turned 91 in April, Anna celebrated another excellent year of her 70s, and thatβs just a few of our senior members!
Whatβs our secret? Itβs simple: singing is like meditation, but way more fun. We practice breath support, we listen closely to each other, learn new music and master complex harmonies every week, and most of all, we enjoy our sisterhood of song at rehearsal every week β plus we perform for the public whenever we get a chance.
Hail to our March, April, and May birthday gals! (See pics below.) And keep those cycles βround the sun coming β singing with you is such a joy.
We had three special guests join us at our rehearsals in April: former Na Leo Lani director Lars Isaacson, who will be bidding adieu to the islands and moving to the continent later this spring, Barbie Dodson, a sister Sweet Adeline and former Honolulu Blend Show Chorus member who often visits HawaiΚ»i, and Mark Conching, whose guest-coaching, as always, made our chords really ring.
Both Lars and Mark are longtime Sounds of Aloha members (Mark is the former director). What a wonderful treat it was to have them, and Barbie, too, who came just in time for our special rehearsal evening in honor of National Barbershop Quartet Day on April 11. Thanks for joining us!
Enjoy the photos of their visits below, plus a video of Lars directing us in one of his favorites, βWhere Does the Time Go?β (π)
Like four-leaf clovers, barbershop harmony has four parts. In that spirit, Na Leo Lani celebrated St. Patrick’s Day last week with heaps of Irish-inflected harmony and a side helping of greens.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, we welcomed a new member, Kaori, to the baritones! She is a highly appreciated addition to this most complex and tricky of barbershop parts.
Na Leo Lani Chorus 