Classical Music Conversations

Pianist Katy Luo

Hawaiʻi Public Radio | By Sharene Keliʻipunilei Lum Taba

Published August 4, 2025 at 1:21 AM HST

To help promote the Hawai`i Symphony Orchestraʻs Celesta Challenge, pianist Katy Luo visits Classical Pacific to share her love for the dreamy and magical instrument. Casting spells on listeners of Harry Potterʻs Hedwigʻs Theme to Tchaikovskyʻs "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," Luo is looking forward to the new instrument to replace the aging celesta thanks to the HSOʻs Celesta Challenge.
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Classical Music Conversations Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra

Sharene Keliʻipunilei Lum Taba

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.

See stories by Sharene Keliʻipunilei Lum Taba