Island Pacific Academy kicked off its Performance Series* with an intimate performance and Q&A session by Grammy-nominated guitarist, songwriter and singer, Doug Fitch. His style is that of a fusion artist playing American folk with Hawaiian slack key. Fitch’s music tells stories accompanied by the incredible dexterity required of slack key: he plays bass with his thumb while picking the melody with his fingers.
Doug Fitch brought two guitars to the performance, one a 12-string Taylor and this 6-string which he played in slack key.
The performance venue is small and simple: a black backdrop curtain, a nice carpet to absorb sound, good microphones, padded stools, and soft lighting in a classroom with acoustic wall paneling. The audience, comprised of 25 students, is young. These are not college students in a 100-level music theory class; the majority are eighth graders in the music trimester of their art course. But their attentiveness, the quality and delivery of questions, and obvious appreciation of both the performer and performance rival the demeanor of first year university students.
Head of School Gerald Teramae, visiting performer Doug Fitch, Secondary Music teacher Micah Hirokawa, and Secondary Principal Kip Cummings.
The maestro behind the IPA Performance Series is Micah Hirokawa, Secondary music teacher, and he couldn’t be more pleased with the successful launching of the series. “I wanted to create an intimate space and experience for our students where they can hear and see different types of music and performers live,” says Hirokawa. “I also want the artists who come to perform to be comfortable while being close up with the audience. The students and the artist know this is special.”
Hirokawa has scheduled a diverse and incredibly talented field of performers for the fall whose credits include Grammy nominations (Fitch), three generations worth of award-winning Hawaiian music (Keawe Lyman), roles on the stages of Broadway (Wilborn), and amazing work in multiple genres (Artis). The series is open to all Secondary students who must sign up in advance to attend. “My hope is for all students to be able to attend two, maybe three, sessions in person and then watch more performances on video,” says Hirokawa. “Attending a series performance is also an assignment because the students will write and submit a reflection on what they gained and learned from the experience.”
Fitch is impressed with this approach to music education. “Studying different styles in important,” he said, “and that you are providing this to your students is incredible.”
Musician-songwriter-singer Doug Fitch, who grew up in Estes Park, Colorado, now calls Hawaii home.
Fitch performed four original numbers for the audience: Take Me Away, Homelani, Humanity, and Wonderful Night. He introduced each song by telling students what had inspired him to write the lyrics, what he was thinking at the time, how he hoped the song made people feel, or how the song related to what was happening in the world when it was written.
Q: Who inspired you to become a musician? (Mia Chapman, ‘20)
Fitch: I grew up in Colorado in a small town. John Denver provided the soundtrack for my growing up and I grew up singing about nature. I have lived in Hawaii for 15 years and now consider these islands my home. One of the things I appreciate about Hawaii is how people here appreciate each other and nature.
Q: What do you like best about performing music? (Ashton Yamamura, ‘20)
Fitch: I like to be able to connect with people. There is something about music that connects people across language and cultural barriers. We all resonate with music. As a songwriter I’ve made people laugh, I’ve made people cry. My advice to those who want to be a musician is “Be authentic. Be yourselves.” Have your influences but what I really like is when a musician lays it all on the line and are themselves when they play not an imitation of someone else.
Q: What advice do you have for students learning music? (Noah Bello, ‘20)
Fitch: Listen a lot. Learn about the technical side. Hang out with a good music teacher. I love my iPhone. I have 9000 songs on it. But what I need to do is listen to one song. And then listen again. Slow down and listen to the music and pay attention to what the music does to you. Does it soothe you, excite you? Pay attention to that because that is what music is for.
Flyer for the 2015 Fall IPA Performance Series
*The IPA Performance Series are “closed sessions” reserved for our students. The general public can watch and share the performance videos on YouTube as they are posted. “Having the videos there will let people all over the world have access to them. And, the videos will be available for the artists as well as a small way to say ‘Mahalo’ for the gift of their time spent and knowledge shared with our students,” says Hirokawa.
