© 2025 Hawaiʻi Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The House has voted to eliminate previously approved funding to public media. Here's what happens next, and how you can help protect HPR and all public media.

Shawn Lum

pc: Evelyn Ng

Botanist Dr. Shawn Kaihekulani Yamauchi Lum left Hawaii years ago, for schooling at Harvard University, UC Berkley, and is now a resident of Singapore, where he is a Senior Lecturer at Nanyang Technological Universityʻs Asian School of the Environment. He carries Hawaii in his heart, and on a recent visit home, he joins his sister on Classical Pacific to talk about nature in classical music, and how we can all get back to "da kine."

Sharene Keliʻipunilei Lum Taba grew up in Pearl City listening to a variety of music – mostly in the car and the choice of the driver (Grandma, Mom, Dad, sister or brother). It ranged from Hawaiian to Japanese Enka to Top 40 to HPR. Sharene played the violin in school, and is now a professional freelance harpist and mother. She and husband jazz bassist Dean Taba love to play and listen to music, and are raising their children to celebrate the love of learning and of all kinds of music.
More from Hawai‘i Public Radio