UH Community Colleges to host internationally recognized Hakuoh University Handbell Choir

Free concerts at Leeward CC Theatre on March 9, and Central Union Church on March 10

University of Hawaiʻi
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Posted: Feb 12, 2016

Hakuoh University Handbell Choir
Hakuoh University Handbell Choir

HONOLULU – Celebrating its 28th anniversary, the internationally-recognized Hakuoh University Handbell Choir will be on O‘ahu from March 9-13 for its 25th Goodwill Tour of Hawai‘i, offering two public concerts, scheduled performances for friends of Hakuoh University, and O‘ahu school children.  

Led by acclaimed director Hirotaka Arai, who founded the choir in 1988, the 12 student handbell ringers will perform free public concerts on:

         March 9, at 10 a.m. at Leeward Community College Theatre, 96-045 Ala ‘Ike, Pearl City

         March 10, at 7 p.m. at Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St., Honolulu

The choir will perform a range of selections from classical standards including Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” to contemporary hits from Disney’s Frozen “Let it Go” as well as a Hawaiian favorite “Hawai‘i Aloha.”  The choir has the capacity to ring seven octaves of handbells, and their dedication to practice and performance has created worldwide demand for their music.

The Goodwill Tour of Hawai‘i includes free performances on Wednesday, March 9, at Leeward Community College, and Tuesday, March 10, at Central Union Church. Also, Hakuoh’s Handbell Choir will be performing during the Honolulu Festival, March 11-13, 2016.

From their home in Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, Hakuoh’s ensemble has traveled to performances in Canada, England, Australia, and South Korea, and has entertained audiences including the Emperor and Empress of Japan and the King and Queen of Belgium.  They have performed at Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and will perform at the International Handbell Symposium in Vancouver, Canada in July 2016.

In September 2013, Hakuoh University renewed an international cooperative agreement with the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges. The annual Handbell Choir Concert, co-sponsored by Hakuoh University and the UH Community Colleges, is one of the cooperative activities undertaken by the two institutions.

For more information about the choir’s performances, call (808) 956-0321.

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