Sharene Keliʻipunilei Lum Taba
Host, Classical PacificSharene 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.
-
Back home in Hawaii after performing Verdiʻs Rigoletto with the Los Angeles Opera, baritone superstar Quinn Kelsey visits HPR to talk about the first opera in `Ōlelo Hawai`i, The Sheltering Tree by Herb Mahelona. In their upcoming season, Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre will premiere the work about the life of Timoteo Ha`alilio, Royal Secretary to King Kamehameha III. https://www.hawaiiopera.org -
The winners of Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestraʻs 2025 Na Hōkū ʻŌpio Music Competition, Iris Yun, harp and Lei Yao Chang, cello share their Tuesday Student Takeover. The ʻIolani graduates were both cellists and featured soloists in ʻIolani Schoolʻs Orchestra 5. They will share the stage again next week with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra as Yun performs Gliereʻs Harp Concerto in E-flat Major, mvt I & Chang performs Dvorakʻs Cello Concerto in B minor, mvt. I. https://www.myhso.org -
Actress and comedian Dulcé Sloan will be on stage at the Blue Note Hawaii on Thursday June 26th. The author and former senior correspondent for The Daily Show shares advice and lessons learned, and a peek into her life as a touring stand up comic.https://www.bluenotejazz.com/hawaii/ -
A regular panelist on NPRʻs "Wait, Wait...Donʻt Tell Me," comedian Alonzo Bodden speaks to Classical Pacific host Sharene Taba about travel, career and his upcoming appearance at Blue Note Hawaii in Waikiki on Wednesday, June 25th.https://www.bluenotejazz.com/hawaii/shows/?eid=13714404 -
Neil Abercrombie is a former Governor of the State of Hawaii, he serves on the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaiʻi, and is music lover with an appreciation for a wide variety of genres. Hear Gov. Abercrombieʻs playlist- curated for Classical Pacific listeners! -
Composer Nan Avant was devasted to see the destruction of Lahaina. When asked by Parma Recordings in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra to write a piece about the environment for the album Symphonic Stradivarius, she chose the wind and the fire for Nani Lahaina - Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra.https://nanavant.com -
Mani Kovacich is a percussionist and a jazz drummer. The Kalani High School Junior studies Brazilian drumming, plays in the both YSI and Jazz I in the Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony Orchestra organization, and finds the balance easily because he prioritizes learning and improving. This summer, we can hear Kovacich at jazz jam sessions with Noel Okimotoʻs Ohana Jazz, or reading the Hawai`i Public Radio call letters when heʻs helping at HPR2.@ohanajazz -
Music has always been a part of slack key guitarist and composer Keola Beamer's life. This weekend, Beamer, wife Moanalani Beamer and Jeff Peterson perform music from his over 50 year career. The 'Ohe Hano Ihu, string arrangements, and musical friends and family are part of this conversation between the studios of Classical Pacific, and the living room of Keola Beamer. -
Guitarist Jeff Peterson appears with Keola Beamer and Moanalani Beamer this Saturday in concert, the grand finale of the Hawai`i Symphony Orchestraʻs HapaSymphony series. The Makawao native joins Classical Pacific host Sharene Taba in a discussion about music and family.https://www.myhso.org -
Vocalist Solomon Shumate just completed his Junior year at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Shumate joined Tuesday Student Takeover during his first year of conservatory in 2023. Back home in Kamuela for the summer, Solomon Shumate has enjoyed college life, full of learning and performing.
