Musicians struggle to make ends meet

No matter how deeply it has been affected by financial hardship, the Honolulu Symphony has survived to the end of the season.

[Aiea]

I'm sorry, but the unfortunate reality is that the symphony provides entertainment for just a fraction of the population here. People whow are struggling day to day to make ends meet, fighting horrendous traffic to drop off kids, make it to work, then pick the kids up day after day after day, just don't the time time or the inclinaton to even think about the symphony.

I feel sorry for the musicians. Not paying them on time is inexcusable. Shame on the City. But there has to come a time when we need to look at what the symphony really is - a luxury that Honolulu just can't afford anymore.

[anony]

It's great to have the mix of contemporary with classical music that we have today, but it would be nice to hear some of the old favorites by Mozart, the 3 B's, Chopin, etc. Haven't heard much of them since George Baratti was here.

[Local Public Sch Grad]

Shame on Aiea for believing that the symphony is "a luxury that Honolulu just can't afford anymore". It is because of this belief that the symphony ends up providing "entertainment for just a fraction of the population."
Life is busy, but that's no excuse not to take the kids to see the symphony. Especially when local kids are exposed to great works of music, their knowledge and experience is broadened substantially.
People forget that the last great monarch of these islands, Lili`uokalani, was a musician, trained in the classics.
Just listen to the Queen's Prayer, and tell us whether that was a luxury that we locals cannot afford.
We will all get the Hawaii we deserve. Just like Aloha Airlines, if we don't support local industry and local culture like the symphony, it will be gone.
I'm a public school graduate, not a private school type. So we're not part of the the "small fraction" of the population.
But we've bought season tickets for next year, although there is a risk that the tickets could end up like Aloha Airline.
Support the symphony. Take time from the mongoose race to listen to their music. Take the kids.
You will be surprised that you don't have to go to San Francisco or New York to hear great music and musicians. They are right here in Honolulu.
It won't make the struggle to make ends meet any easier. But it will remind you that there are real benefits to live in Hawaii.

[Aiea is a diisgrace]

Appreciation for the arts and education start at home. Unless we take steps to discourage low-life attitudes like Aiea, encourage excellence in schools, at work, and general social interactions, we'll end up with a lot of crass behaviors, ugliness and violence.

[Char Siu Bao Girl]

We are not Columbus, Ohio!!!!!!!!

[Joe]

The symphony has been begging in Hawaii and many other locales for decades.

The problem is that the type of people who manage and participate in the symphony are great artists which usually means they are 1) poor business people and 2) set in their ways.

Here's the simple fact that they don't want to hear. Either make the performances more attractive to the average citizen or just close up shop.

I think many of these "classical music" elitists simply will never "lower" themselves to making their music more enjoyable for the general public. They are too good for that.

I've seen other symphonies that have "Warner Brothers Cartoon" night where they play cartoon classics.

In Hawaii, at least half of their performances should be in combination with Hawaiian Music groups like Kealii Reichel, Makaha Sons, etc etc. They could fill an entire season with Hawaiian symphony.

They could do a "Hollywood Movie" night with recognizable movie tunes like Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, Toy Story, whatever.

They could have a "national Anthem night" or how about a Hawaii High School Alma Mater night?

I could go on and on.

But they won't do it. They will continue to play the umpteenth orchestras of Tchaikovsky until the day they die, both literally and figuratively.

Why?

Because they are ARTEEESTS of course. Too good to lower themselves to the appetites of the ignorant masses.

Well, if that remains true, then quit begging from the state coffers and survive on your own.

[threeBs]

To anony - if you want to hear Mozart, 3 Bs and chopin, etc. played by the symphony, you should find out what they're playing. Try go http://www.honolulusymphony.com - Mozart violin concerto is next thursday!
Too bad you missed earlier concerts with concertos by brahms, beethoven & bach, chopin, and mozart, an all- mozart program, 2 beethoven symphonies, a mass & egmont overture.

[Arts_Left_Behind]

Too bad music and the arts get cut out of the schools, due to lack of understanding of the value of the arts by the Deciders, and programs like no child left behind, which really is the arts left behind. Fact is, kids studying music makes them better in math and other subjects & improves self esteem. When you take music out of the schools, the result is mass ignorance and poorer grades overall, then dropouts, drugs & violence. its a vicious cycle. Fortunately, a big part of what Honolulu symphony does is bring music back into the schools - even going to Maui & Big island - and teaching thousands of private music lessons. Music gives kids meaning to life. If the symphony isn't supported, all that goes away too and our kids will suffer the most.

[Brrr]

Go easy on Aiea. What he says is valid, like it or not.

We do not support the arts and we do not support our own people. Don't like it, change the system.

[Joel Mardi]

Please please support the Honolulu Symphony. They are the beacon of a civilized society. We only need to eliminate the perks of the politicians and some government officials to provide the musicians salary. Without the Honolulu Symphony, Hawaii will end up on par with the third world countries which are operated by "uncivilized and corrupt" politicians and government officials whose desires are to steal the citizens money and future. We cannot afford not to give our children the music that uplift their well being.

[Pakitapa]

I have worked in the past for the Symphony on a volunteer basis with the Fun Run and in the office. There is a wide varity of music offered and many things with the Pops. The classic portion is so relaxing something everyone needs. The programs that the schools had really aided the children in the studies. Let the music play. If I were still in Hawaii, I would still be volunteering.

[Joe]

There is more music per square mile in Hawaii than just about anywhere in the world. The "record" stores have huge sections on "Hawaiian" music. What other state has a huge section on for example, Montana music? And its good music with wide appeal, unlike country and that revolting hip hop stuff.

The symphony can survive on its own but it needs to adapt to the appetites of the people it serves, not the other way around.

[OMGWTF]

hardcore wrote:

When the Arts disappear, civilization soon follows

exactly! when i travel, i use the quality of the arts and zoo of the cities to rate the class-level. there is a strong positive correlation between the two. as people enjoy the 'luxury' of life, they'll demand more. it is truly a sadness that a person cannot enjoy the beauty of classical music our wonderful symphony provides. i'm not a professional musician to determine the greatness of our Honolulu Symphony, but it gives me wonderful experiences and that is good enough for me and my family.

[Joe]

Pakitapa said: "The classic portion is so relaxing something everyone needs. "
OMGWTF (your username is so cultured) said: "when I travel...... and ME and MY family".
If you read the posts supporting GOVERNMENT symphony welfare, there is a condescending self centered tone. You NEED it. MUST. ME.
The reason you need to travel is 99% of what the HAWAII symphony plays is English or Italian music. Not American. Not Hawaiian. Not even "Hawaii". And yet the symphony types inform you that you are uncultured, uncivilized third world buffoons. Talk about small minded and obnoxious.
These posts supporting the symphony are one of the reasons I would never support the Honolulu Symphony.
They really need to look at people like the greatest opera singer in the world, Pavarotti, who did concerts and records with dozens, maybe hundreds of "pop" singers. I'm sure he was criticized by the superior ones but he seemed to have fun, he was definitely financially successful and he probably turned a few more million people onto Opera-lite than would otherwise have been.
Get off your high horses folks. That attitude has always ended in self destruction in Hawaii.

[mmmmm]

The symphony is a victim of supply and demand. There is ample supply of very talented and dedicated musicians. However, there is no demand. It is nothing personal... nor a commentary of civilization's impending doom. People have decided that the Honolulu Symphony is not where they want to spend their money. People prefer to spend their hard earned dollars on three inch wide Hawaiian bracelets and on rims for their lifted trucks.

[OMGWTF]

Joe wrote:

Pakitapa said: "The classic portion is so relaxing something everyone needs. "
OMGWTF (your username is so cultured) said: "when I travel...... and ME and MY family".
If you read the posts supporting GOVERNMENT symphony welfare, there is a condescending self centered tone. You NEED it. MUST. ME.
The reason you need to travel is 99% of what the HAWAII symphony plays is English or Italian music. Not American. Not Hawaiian. Not even "Hawaii". And yet the symphony types inform you that you are uncultured, uncivilized third world buffoons. Talk about small minded and obnoxious.
These posts supporting the symphony are one of the reasons I would never support the Honolulu Symphony.
They really need to look at people like the greatest opera singer in the world, Pavarotti, who did concerts and records with dozens, maybe hundreds of "pop" singers. I'm sure he was criticized by the superior ones but he seemed to have fun, he was definitely financially successful and he probably turned a few more million people onto Opera-lite than would otherwise have been.
Get off your high horses folks. That attitude has always ended in self destruction in Hawaii.

i don't quite get your point. you have beef with symphony supporters is because they don't play american or hawaiian music? every season symphony plays some pieces by american composers (Copland, last year) and incorporate hawaiiana in their venue. of course, there aren't as many choices compared to europeans (btw, you left out great German music, not too many English pieces). but we can't expect some 250 year old country to compete with vastly more 'cultured' europeans, do we? also, why can't someone with OMGWTF have 'cultured' opinions? don't be 'small minded.'

[OMGWTF]

mmmmm wrote:

The symphony is a victim of supply and demand. There is ample supply of very talented and dedicated musicians. However, there is no demand. It is nothing personal... nor a commentary of civilization's impending doom. People have decided that the Honolulu Symphony is not where they want to spend their money. People prefer to spend their hard earned dollars on three inch wide Hawaiian bracelets and on rims for their lifted trucks.

very unfortunately true about our culture here. just give you an example, as i was purchasing tickets for a symphony event at NBC box office, i saw and overheard a young fellow on the next box spending almost $1,000 in cash on tickets for Ultimate Fighting Championship. half of his tickets were child tickets. great lessons for children.

[Joe Blow]

Joe wrote:

The symphony has been begging in Hawaii and many other locales for decades.
The problem is that the type of people who manage and participate in the symphony are great artists which usually means they are 1) poor business people and 2) set in their ways.
Here's the simple fact that they don't want to hear. Either make the performances more attractive to the average citizen or just close up shop.
I think many of these "classical music" elitists simply will never "lower" themselves to making their music more enjoyable for the general public. They are too good for that.
I've seen other symphonies that have "Warner Brothers Cartoon" night where they play cartoon classics.
In Hawaii, at least half of their performances should be in combination with Hawaiian Music groups like Kealii Reichel, Makaha Sons, etc etc. They could fill an entire season with Hawaiian symphony.
They could do a "Hollywood Movie" night with recognizable movie tunes like Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, Toy Story, whatever.
They could have a "national Anthem night" or how about a Hawaii High School Alma Mater night?
I could go on and on.
But they won't do it. They will continue to play the umpteenth orchestras of Tchaikovsky until the day they die, both literally and figuratively.
Why?
Because they are ARTEEESTS of course. Too good to lower themselves to the appetites of the ignorant masses.
Well, if that remains true, then quit begging from the state coffers and survive on your own.

Whoa, Joe, hold up! Or, maybe I should say, wake up!

The Symphony presented Keali'i Reichel for three nights just last month, and has been presenting Hawaiian artists and "Pops" concerts -- Temptations, Captain & Tennille, Bill Medley, Lou Rawls -- for years. Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom seems to turn up at least once a year.

So, yes, it's true that the Symphony seems to be irrelevant to most of the people in Hawaii, but don't mistake the leaders of the Symphony with ARTEEESTS who'll only play Tchaikovsky "until they die."

[Joe Blow]

Joel Mardi wrote:

Please please support the Honolulu Symphony. They are the beacon of a civilized society. We only need to eliminate the perks of the politicians and some government officials to provide the musicians salary. Without the Honolulu Symphony, Hawaii will end up on par with the third world countries which are operated by "uncivilized and corrupt" politicians and government officials whose desires are to steal the citizens money and future. We cannot afford not to give our children the music that uplift their well being.

Sorry, Jose, but I think we already have that here. Otherwise the politicians would place the same financial value on the Symphony that they place on the UM football program.

Oops, that's right, there was no money for soap in the players' locker room!

Where DOES all that tax money go?

[Joe Blow]

Where are those people who were anonymously coming up with that "extra" $400,000 a year for June Jones?

Now that June has left town and doesn't need their money, they could make a similar anonymous $400,000 donation to the Symphony.