Thanks to our strong community of supporters, HPR brings you a robust offering of locally produced programs, including weekend programs featuring local hosts to guide you through classical music selections.
September is Classical Music Month, a perfect opportunity to get to know HPR-2’s local weekend hosts:
Howard's Day Off with Howard Dicus
Howard Dicus offers a mix of music from all corners of classical from his personal collection centered around a theme of his choosing on Howard’s Day Off, airing Saturdays from 5-7 a.m. and Sundays from 5-7 p.m.
What are some of your favorite classical music compositions?
Depending on mood, it's one of these three works, the Mendelssohn Octet, Mahler's Sixth Symphony, and Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis."
What is a classical music piece that stuck with you from an early age?
I wasn't exposed to a lot of classical music as a kid, but one thing I did hear was The Nutcracker, which is something a lot of people are exposed to early on. Also, my father had a collection of "Gaîté Parisienne," which is an orchestral suite of music from the light French operas of Jacques Offenbach.
Do you have advice to share with our readers?
As heard weekly on my show, the only sure way to have a long weekend is to get up early on Saturday. And if you do, you’ll sleep better Sunday night.
The Early Muse with Ian Capps
Ian Capps brings fresh life to old gems by exploring the formative years of European music, from Medieval chant, song and dance through the rich polyphony of the Renaissance and beyond on The Early Muse, airing Saturdays from 6-7 p.m.
Who are some of your favorite classical music composers?
I enjoy music from all periods, perhaps except the bombastic nature of 19th-century music. I enjoy contemporary music as well because many pieces reflect motifs found in Baroque and chant. Some of my favorite composers include Kassia, a composer, philosopher, politician and strong women’s advocate from 9th century Byzantium, and Josquin Desprez, known for his “Ave Maria.” The Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi may be my most favorite composer.
How do you choose what to play on the air?
Since I don’t have to be up to the minute with current music, I take liberty in celebrating holidays, special days, and special events with early music that reflects the theme in question, such as for Christmas or Independence Day. There is a lot of music that is very apt to play each year for the same event, so I have a lot of latitude to play a variety of music. I also enjoy tracing the development of instruments and vocal music over time, exploring the change from chant to polyphony to grand motets, and how styles have evolved over the centuries.
When did you start hosting The Early Muse?
When my wife Jeannette and I moved to Hawaiʻi from New York City in 2002, one of the first things we did was look for the local public radio station. We became station supporters and volunteered with HPR. Through volunteering to digitize the HPR classical music library, Charles Husson discovered I knew a lot about early music. He was interested in bringing an early music program to the station, so we worked together to design a show, as I had enough material to curate a number of episodes immediately. After co-hosting the program together for a few months, the program was approved for regular air time. Charles encouraged me to give it a go as a solo host, and I’ve had the pleasure of sharing early music with listeners for nearly 20 years. The Early Muse first aired on December 4, 2004.
Sunday Brunch with Gene Schiller
Gene Schiller invites listeners to call (808) 792-8245 on Sundays with requests for a musical brunch buffet. Sunday Brunch airs Sundays 9-noon.
How do you choose what to play on the air?
I play whatever I’m listening to at that particular moment in time. If I find an interesting piece of music, I’ll try to build a show around that, particularly during Morning Café, where I play shorter numbers. On Sunday, I prefer listeners call me on the day-of to play requests.
Who are your favorite classical music composers?
It’s hard to pick, there's just too much out there. If I have to choose, I’d say Debussy, Wagner, maybe a few others.
Is there a classical music genre you feel gets overlooked?
I wish people would take opera more seriously because there's a lot of great music there that people miss out on because they have an aversion to singing. But they should get over that.
Take a moment for music
See the HPR-2 schedule to learn more about our 24/7 classical music offerings, or listen on demand to classical music conversations you may have missed.
Find a way to listen that works for you:
- At home or work, ask your smart speaker to "play KIPO."
- Visit the HPR website and look for the red player module up top. Click "All Streams" to select HPR-2.
- Download and launch the free HPR mobile app to stream HPR-1 and HPR-2
- And of course, you can tune in on your radio dial
