The new Hawai’i Symphony is launching its debut concert series. The Spring season begins March 4th featuring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and pianist Lisa Nakamichi. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa spoke with The Symphony’s consultant, Steven Monder, about the new developments. Tickets will be available beginning Wednesday. The website may be active by then: http://www.hawaiisymphony.net/ A schedule of 8 concerts has been set through May 20th---season tickets are priced below $100. For information and tickets call the Hawai’i Symphony at 593-9468. Here's the season schedule: HAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2012 MASTERWORKS SEASON BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH SYMPHONY SUNDAY, MARCH 4 AT 4:00PM AND TUESDAY, MARCH 6 AT 7:00PM CONDUCTOR: NAOTO OTOMO SOLOIST: LISA NAKAMICH, PIANO Weber Overture to Oberon Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466 Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 BRAHMS PIANO CONCERTO THURSDAY, MARCH 22 AT 7:00PM AND FRIDAY, MARCH 23 AT 8:00PM CONDUCTOR: SHINIK HAHM SOLOIST: NORMAN KRIEGER, PIANO Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5 Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 Sibelius Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43 DVORAK’S NEW WORLD SUNDAY, APRIL 1 AT 4:00PM AND TUESDAY, APRIL 3 AT 7:00PM CONDUCTOR: JEFFREY KAHANE SOLOIST: JEFFREY KAHANE, PIANO Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 Dvorak Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, From the New World RUSSIAN EASTER & TCHAIKOVSKY’S 5TH FRIDAY, APRIL 6 AT 8:00PM AND SATURDAY, APRIL 7 AT 8:00PM CONDUCTOR: JOANN FALLETTA SOLOIST: MICHAEL LUDWIG, VIOLIN Rimsky-­‐Korsakov Russian Easter Overture, Op. 36 Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op.64 MENDELLSOHN’S ITALIAN SYMPHONY SUNDAY, APRIL 22 AT 4:00PM AND TUESDAY, APRIL 24 AT 7:00PM CONDUCTOR: SARAH HICKS SOLOIST: JOE BURGSTALLER, TRUMPET Zhou Tian A Thousand Years of Good Prayers Arutunian Trumpet Concerto in A-­‐flat Major Bach (after Vivaldi) Concerto in D Major, BWV 972 Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, Italian RODRIGO’S GUITAR CONCERTO FRIDAY, MAY 4 AT 8:00PM AND SUNDAY, MAY 6 AT 4:00PM CONDUCTOR: JUNICHI HIROKAMI SOLOIST: MANUEL BARRUECO, GUITAR Takemitsu To the Edge of Dream for Guitar and Orchestra Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27 DVORAK’S CELLO CONCERTO SUNDAY, MAY 13 AT 4:00PM AND TUESDAY, MAY 15 AT 7:00PM CONDUCTOR: MAXIMIANO VALDES SOLOIST: ZUILL BAILEY Dvorak Slavonic Dance, Op. 46. No. 8 Dvorak Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104 Brahms Symphony No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 90 PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION SATURDAY, MAY 19 AT 8:00PM AND SUNDAY, MAY 20 AT 4:00PM CONDUCTOR: JUNG-­‐HO PAK SOLOIST: JON KIMURA PARKER, PIANO Tan Dun Internet Symphony No. 1, "Eroica" Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,

Award-winning writer R. Zamora Linmark weaves American and Filipino cultures together in touching, and often hilarious, poems, plays, and novels. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa offers a sample from last night’s reading at UH Manoa. Tonight, 1-26-12, R. Zamora Linmark reads selections from his latest novel, Leche, at the Hawaii State Library. The free program will be conducted in the First Floor Reading Room at 6 pm. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leche-by-R-Zamora-Linmark/176153132433281 http://www.thewilyfilipino.com/blog/2011/05/16/on-r-zamora-linmarks-leche/

Hawai’i, the melting pot---this is our reputation in the world and the image we have of ourselves. How are we doing, really, in pursuit of Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a just society? HPR’s Noe Tanigawa asked an expert on race and ethnic relations in Hawai’i for one opinion on the subject. Click here for an extended version of the interview, an interesting 15 minutes. http://www.noetanigawa.com/feature/2012/01/19/thoughts-martin-luther-kin...

The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is welcoming a new executive director, Eva Laird Smith. For the last two years she has been director of the USO of Hawai'i, prior to that, she worked with Junior Achievement of Hawai'i, the Filipino Community Center and Hawai'i's Plantation Village. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa attended Smith’s first commission meeting.

The 2010 census showed Filipinos have overtaken Japanese as the second largest ethnic group in Hawai’i, behind Caucasians. Hawai’i’s Filipino population grew by 24% in the last ten years, with help from large families and about thirty five hundred immigrants arriving every year. In this election year, HPR’s Noe Tanigawa continues a look into this vibrant and fast-growing community. The Filipino Community Center has raised over 45 thousand dollars locally for victims of December’s Typhoon Sendong in the Philippines. Reciprocating Filcom’s fundraising for Japanese earthquake relief last year, the Japanese Cultural Center will accept contributions for Philippine relief at their Ohana Festival this weekend.

With holiday gatherings in full swing, HPR’s Noe Tanigawa takes you to a local Christmas party from the past, 1967, to be exact. Kent Bowman’s Mele Kalikimaka CD is available on Hula Records at local record stores if you can find one or through the website http://hularecords.com/ Derrick Malama will be featuring Bowman’s Kanaka Christmas story on Christmas day during Kanikapila Sunday, 1-4pm. Another highlight this Sunday, Raiatea Helm with an HPR exclusive: White Christmas, at-home style, with ‘ukulele. I did stumble across this comprehensive compendium of trivia and reminiscences from the general period (it's fun): http://kalihikids.com/OldHawaii/

Holiday excitement is ramping up this weekend with two Nutcracker ballets to choose from on O’ahu—one at LCC and the other at Blaisdell. The Spring Wind Quintet will be at Kapolei library tomorrow, and there’s holiday family fun Sunday at the Art Academy. Here, HPR’s Noe Tanigawa offers flavors from two holiday choral events. The O’ahu Choral Society, led by Esther Yu, performs carols by Benjamin Britten and a medley of Spanish songs of the season Saturday night at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Find out more here: http://oahuchoral.org/ The Hawai’i Vocal Arts Ensemble, led by Tim Carney, presents holiday music from the Renaissance through the present in the Mystical Rose Oratory at Chaminade tonight, (Friday night) and Sunday. Check their website here: http://hawaiivocalarts.org/ There are a lot of holiday options on all the islands---check for more on the community calendar.

Riverdance, the instigator of a world wide fascination with Irish dance, is making its debut in Honolulu. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa offers a taste of the action. Riverdance continues at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall with matinee and evening performances through Sunday. Check out the action at http://www.riverdance.com/ This video from '06 features Michael Flatley (who is not coming to Honolulu!) with a line of guys. It's spare and punchy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytcZIfvSWW4 .

In Hawai’i, most Filipinos are from Northern Luzon where Ilocano is spoken; Tagalog, however, is the basis for the national language called Filipino. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa continues an exploration of this growing segment of local society through a look at its literature. The students of the UH Filipino and Philippine Literature Program invite you to Songfest 2011 in celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s 150th birthday. The songfest takes place tomorrow, Saturday, 9am to 2pm at the UH art auditorium.