Students and local community had the opportunity to hear the Ko’olauloa Children’s Chorus (KCC) perform their 12th year anniversary concert, “Prayer of the Children” on Thursday, April 25. The KCC is a volunteer choir composed of children from the North Shore between the ages of 9 to 17. Created by Laie resident Esther Macy in 2000, the KCC serves to “provide an opportunity for young people to learn, grow, and excel through quality instruction and experiences that emphasize the development of musical skills and understanding.” Choir member Kuyo Ulii said, “My favorite part of being in the choir is going on tours. But I like to play instruments and hang out with friends and enjoy music.” The choir, consisting of 45 members, sang a variety of songs representing different parts of the world. The choir opened with a Zambian African folk song, “Bonse Aba.” Its lyrics means, “All who sing with the spirit have the right to be called the children of God.” Casey Rindlisbach, a sophomore in elementary education from Loveland, Ohio, said, “The African one was a great way to start the show. It was full of life and made me want to stick around and see the rest of the show.” Selections also included traditional Hawaiian song, “E Nana Kakou I Na Manu” and Italian opera number, “Funiculi Funicula,” with local resident Joseph AhQuin as a tenor vocalist. Choir director Esther Macy hopes that through the choir, audiences will have a good time, have fun, and hear the positive messages their music brings. The Thursday’s concert was part of an effort to fundraise for their 2015 Italy tour. The KCC hopes to entertain audiences in Rome, Florence, and Venice during the summer of 2015. They also plan to host plate lunch sales, garage sales, and other events to fundraise for their upcoming trip. The KCC choir rehearses twice a week and is in residence at the BYU-Hawaii as part of the BYUH Outreach department.
Writer: Homer Wolman~Multimedia Journalist
