Malama Honua, Hokulea’s voyage around the world, and her 44 year legacy have inspired a symphonic composition that debuts this week.

University of Hawaii at Manoa music lecturer Michael-Thomas Foumai composed Raise Hawaiki. The large-scale symphonic work brings together Hawaii’s major institutions of performance, learning and voyaging, mirroring Hokulea’s voyages that bring communities together across the planet to embrace and care for their culture and natural environments.

The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra will perform the piece with the Oahu Choral society, joined by choirs from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and with choral participation from Kapiolani Community College and UH West Oahu.

They’ll be singing words of Eddie Aikau, Mau Piailug, Sam Kaai, Nainoa Thompson and Sam Low.

“I hope the audience will take away from the experience of listening to this symphony, as if they were aboard Hokulea, as if they journeyed around the world,” said Foumai.

Foumai won the young composer award from the American Society of Composers two years ago.



The world premiere of Raise Hawaiki will be at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Thursday, March 28 at 7:30p.m.

