HAWAIIAN SONG VOICE TRAINING

Hawaiian music was born from the soul of ancient Hawaiian culture and fused with the many traditions of Europe and the Americas as it evolved. The native Hawaiian Kanaka music was without melody and was based around the Oli (or chant) which was accompanied by the ipu, a percussion instrument made from a gourd. This chant was made to accompany the traditional dance of Hula. In the 19th century the western missionaries brought with them their religious hymns and the Spanish and Portuguese brought the guitar and the braguinha respectively. From the guitar Hawaiians invented their own style called slack key and from the braguinha the ukulele was born. Later, steel guitar was also invented by a Hawaiian named Joseph Kekuku. By the end of the 19th century Hawaiian music had formed its own identity.

At PoePoe we offer a unique Hawaiian song class taught by Kieth Nakaganeku, a third generation Hawaii native of Okinawan ancestry. He is proficient on both ukulele and shamisen and is deeply rooted in the island culture and the many common threads woven between Okinawa and Hawaii. He is certified as an Okinawan traditional music instructor. Keith has also released many albums of Hawaiian music and is known for his ability to sing in the falsetto style unique to Hawaii. In this class, you will learn the proper way to sing Hawaiian songs, including falsetto technique and pronunciation.