Punahou Sessions is a set of live music videos created and produced by Allen Murabayashi ’90. Originally conceived in honor of Punahou’s 175th anniversary, Punahou Sessions continues to celebrate the extraordinary depth and diversity of talent among alumni and students who create music. Visit [ Ссылка ] for more information.

Performers:
Helen Chao-Casano P’22, P’24
Steven Casano P’22, P’24
Deven Kono
Beryl Yanagi-Fujita

Producer's Note:
When we initially conceived on Punahou Sessions in late 2015, we sought to feature the incredible range of artistic talent among students and alumni. We’re deviating from the plan, folks.

This performance deviates for two reasons: 1) the Punahou Music School is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and 2) every performer has acknowledged the role that their teachers have played in forming their artistic identities. It seems fitting, then, that we let the teachers in on the action.

I approached Helen Chao-Casano P’22, P’24, the Director of Punahou Music School for the past thirteen years, who quickly assembled not one, but FOUR of the finest pianists/piano teachers for an 8-hand arrangement of a composition written by Antonín Dvořák. She was quick to point out that Dvořák was born in 1841, a date that just happens to correspond to the founding of our very school. Helen has been teaching the keiki piano at Punahou for 21 years.

Because 88 keys aren’t enough, Steven Casano P’22, P’24 has also mastered the shakuhachi — a Japanese wind instrument similar to a flute or recorder — conducting significant research on the modern history of the instrument to go along with his degrees in Piano and Music Education, Ethnomusicology and Music Librarianship. Steven moved to Hawaii from Chicago with Helen to pursue his degree in ethnomusicology, and thankfully ended up staying.

Deven Kono started his piano studies with Ernest Chang on Wilder Street like yours truly. He's been an active collaborative pianist and has been a member of the piano faculty at Punahou Music School for eight years. Deven received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of Hawaii, where he studied with Ronald Morgan.

In addition to her teaching duties, you’re just as likely to find Beryl Yanagi-Fujita accompanying different instrumentalists for recitals, audition tapes, and the like. As a student at UH, her teachers included the late Punahou organist Beebe Freitas. Beryl has taught private/group piano lessons at the Music School for 37 years, collaborated with the Punahou Choir/Band/Orchestra, Punahou Dance School, Suzuki Talent Education of Hawaii, Diamond Head and Kennedy Theatres, numerous students/colleagues and in her free time, gives back to the community by sharing music with our kūpuna and their caregivers.

In case you were wondering, although printed scores are still commonplace, many performers have embraced the use of technology for the simple reason that it’s hard to turn pages when you’re using both your hands. A number of different systems allow musicians to use a foot pedal to turn pages, which also renders the professional page turner obsolete.

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