Goals & Paths
The goals of E&FA programming are multicultural, multidisciplinary, educational, and intergenerational. Implicit in all events of E&FA will be fostering of contemporarymusic and art. Programming will be mixed; that is, both classical and modern (except when the event is multidisciplinary)
E&FA programs are multicultural. We celebrate the diversity of backgrounds in Hawai’i. Growing partnerships exist with composer Dr. Eugene Lee and his new music organization, Veritas Musicae (Seoul, Korea), Rashid Kalimoullin, President of Composers Union of Tartarstan (Kazan, Russia), Mitsuru Asaka (Tokyo, Japan) and Xiao Song (Beijing, China).
We understand that music is the universal language. It makes possible friendship and love between people from different cultures and languages. For example, it is possible for ‘cellist, Yohei Asaoka (born in Japan) and guitarist, William Anderson (born in Pennsylvania) to make beautiful music together, and to feature a work by Japan’s greatest composer of the twentieth century, Toru Takemitsu. The audience in attendance at their recitals in October 1999 (see below), will never forget and always remain positively influenced by this wonderful performing pair. E&FA programs are multidisciplinary. We reach out to visual artists, poets and dancers by involving their art forms in our multi-modal presentations.
Multi-modal realizations devised by Kandinsky in the early part of twentieth century: Musicians select from several paintings one best suited for an improvisation. A five-minute musical improvisation occurs to which a dancer also improvises (without seeing the painting). After the improvisation, the dancer looks at all the paintings and determines to which one she/he danced. Regardless whether musicians and dancer choose the same painting, discussion with the audience ensues as a result of the dancer’s determination.
Another realization/experiment: The same musical passage occurs in front of three different colored backdrops; then, three different musical passages occur with the same colored backdrop. Impressions? Discussion.
E&FA programs are educational. We establish linkages with Kula Elementary School (Maui), Seabury Hall (Maui), University of Hawai’i at Manoa, King Kamehameha III High School (Maui), Maui Arts & Cultural Center education programming, and our own public offerings. We establish alliances with school administrations and teachers that enable us to facilitate and reinforce our educational outreach in the community. (see attached education statement)
E&FA programs are intergenerational. They bring together young and old in concerts, workshops and other related events. There are many eminent artists and senior citizens in Hawai’i. They are wonderful elder statesmen and women for the arts. There also exists a rapidly growing children’s population coupled with booming residential areas of young and middle-aged adults. E&FA reaches out to both groups.