Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus - Artists and Staff

Nola A. Nahulu
Executive & Artistic Director

Ms. Nahulu is a native of Makaha, O’ahu and received her education from: Wai’anae Elementary School, Kamehameha Schools, Whitman College (B.A. Psychology), and University of Hawai’i Manoa (M.A. in Music Education, Choral).

Ms. Nahulu has been involved in the Choral Music scene of Hawai’i since 1979. The organizations she has been associated with have included the Unitarian Church, Bishop Memorial Church, Moloka’i Children’s Chorus and the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club. She is currently the interim Director of the Honolulu Symphony Chorus and Director of Hawai’i Youth Opera Chorus (Executive and Artistic Director), The Kawaiaha’o Church Choir, Hawai’i Opera Theater Chorus, and the Pearl Harbor Hawaiian Civic Club. She is the founder and director of the Kawaiolaonapukanileo ensemble (an ensemble dedicated to the preservation of the hawaiian choral music genere).

Her teaching endeavors have included: Our Redeemer Lutheran School, the Kamehameha Schools, the University Laboratory School, and lecturer at UH Manoa Music Department. She and her sister own Bete, Inc., a designer hawaiian apparel company.

Ms. Nahulu became Musical Director for the Hawai’i Youth Opera Chorus in 1986. Since then the chorus has grown from twenty singers to over 200 children grades K-12. The focus of the organization is that of Music Education. There are nine graded ensembles as well as choral conducting internships available for high school and college students and other teachers.

Ms. Nahulu is a member of HMEA (Hawai’i Music Educator’s Association), Treasurer for SGM (Society for General Music) and is Past President for ADCA (American Choral Director’s Association) Hawai’i Chapter. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Hawaii Arts Alliance, Hawaiian Music Foundation & HACY (Hawaii Arts Center for Youth).

Wendy Chang
Associate Artistic Director &
Principal Accompanist

Ms. Chang completed her musical training at the University of Hawai’i Manoa receiving both her B.M. and M.M. in piano performance. She has been the principal accompanist for the Hawai’i Youth Opera Chorus since 1987. She has been a lecturer at the University of Hawai’i Manoa Music Department and teaches piano privately. She is a member of HMTA (Hawai’i Music Teachers Association) & HPTA (Hawai’i Piano Teachers Association). She currently teaches elementary music at Maryknoll School.

Malia Ka'ai-Barrett
General Manger

Malia Katrina Kana’auao Ka’ai, a native of Lahaina Maui. Graduate of the Kamehameha Schools class of ’85. Graduate of Whitworth College in ’89 with a B.A. in History and a Minor in Music. Graduate of UH Manoa in ’98 with a M.A. in Pacific Island Studies.

Since 1991 she has been the General Manager of the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus. Ms. Ka’ai is an active soloist and choral member in the community, performing with the Hawaii Opera Theater, Kawaiolaonapukanileo (a Hawaiian a capella ensemble, dedicated to preserving Hawaiian choral music genre) and Kawaiaha’o Church etc. Her vocal instructors include: Les Ceballos, Ann Fennesey-Rants of Whitworth College, Neva Rego and Elizabeth Grierson of the Bel Canto School of Singing in Honolulu. She has participated in numerous master classes and workshops with world renown opera singers and coaches: Denise Graves, Diana Soviero, Frederika von Stade, Mary Dibbern, Bernard Uzon, Mark Flint, Ying Yuang, the San Francisco Opera Merola Program and Richard Perlman of the Chicago Lyric Opera etc.

She is a member of Hawaii Opera Theater’s Chorus since 1993 and the Young Artist Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio since 1998. Her solo debut with the Hawaii Opera Theater was as the 2nd handmaiden in the 1999 production of “Electra”. Since then she has appeared with HOT as the Mother in “Madama Butterfly”, Olga in “The Merrie Widdow”, Mrs. Hayes in “Susannah”, as the Prima Cercatrice in “Suor Angelia” and as Ciesca in “Gianni Schicchi”. In 2000 she was a finalist with the Hawaii Public Radio 4th Annual Art Song Contest. She has also sung with the Honolulu Symphony as a soloist for Grieg’s “Peer Gynt”, Mendohlson’s “Mid Summer Nights’s Dream” & Rutter’s “Mass of the Children”. She was a soloist with the Hawaii presentation of Mozart Requiem in September 2002 in commemoration of the 9/11 events. She has also sung the soprano solos for the following Requiems that were presented by Kawaiaha’o Church including: Faure, Brahms and Rutter. She was the soprano soloist for Hawaii premier of Rutter’s “Mass of the Children”. Her debut as soprano soloist with the Royal Hawaiian Band was in 2005.

Nicole Sakata
Administrative Assistant
DOE project coordinator

Phil Hidalgo
Bookkeeper
Accompanist
DOE Project Staff

Phil Hidalgo has been accompanist for HYOC since 1992 and as of 2003 has added on the jobs of Project/Festival Coordinator and Bookkeeper. Phil also plays piano for a number of public and private school choirs, soloists, and musical theatre productions.

Phil recently appeared as Musical Director for the Manoa Valley Theater's production of "Musical of Musicals: The Musical" & "Urinetown." His on-stage credentials include performing with Hawaii Opera Theatre’s Chorus since 1992 and singing with Kawaiolaonapukanileo, a Hawaiian a cappella ensemble under the direction of Nola A. Nahulu. Phil is the sole proprietor of PMH Studio which along with music does t-shirt graphics.

Christine Eilers
Assistant Director

Christine Eilers has been an elementary school teacher for 25 years with a variety of private Lutheran schools. She is currently teaching at Our Redeemer Lutheran Schools. She also spent several years as the Education Coordinator and Executive Assistant at the Honolulu Symphony. She taught for many years at Our Savior Lutheran School where she also served as the school’s choir director. She has a BA in Education with a concentration in church music from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN.

Ms. Eilers is organist at Christ Lutheran Church in Mililani, and a member of the Honolulu Symphony Chorus and the Hawaii Opera Theatre Chorus. Chris also serves as President for the American Choral Directors Association: Hawaii Chapter. She is the Director of the Coro Ensemble and has been with HYOC since the summer of 2000.

Diane Koshi
Assistant Director

Diane Sunada Koshi was born in Tokyo, Japan. She holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Hawaii at Mänoa. Since 1991, Ms. Koshi has been an Assistant Director with the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus where she has directed the Bambini, Angeli, Coro, Cantilena, and Scelto ensembles and prepared children’s choruses for Hawaii Opera Theater productions. She is currently the elementary music teacher and elementary and Jr. High Choir director at the Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu. During her tenure as the Director of Choirs at St. Andrew’s Priory School for Girls from 1995 through 2004, she developed nine grade level choruses (grades 4-12) and four performing ensembles (grades 2-12).

Ms. Koshi performs regularly with Kawaiolaonäpükanileo, a Hawaiian chorus and the Hawaii Opera Theater Chorus. She has co-chaired many Hawaii All-State High School Honor Choir Festivals and served as a clinician for many workshops and festivals.

In addition to educating and performing, Ms. Koshi is also a Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning producer of Hawaiian music. Her most recent endeavor, Our Ohana’s 1st Christmas, (featuring the Priory Children’s Choir) hit the Billboard World Music chart at #14 and was nominated for a Na Hoku Hanohano Award (Hawaiian Grammy Awards). In her spare time, Ms. Koshi is a neophyte student of hula with Halau Hula Ka Noeau.

Ms. Koshi holds Level I certifications in Orff Schulwerk, Creating Artistry, and Music Mind Games. Ms. Koshi is a member of ACDA (American Choral Directors Association), MENC (Music Educators National Conference), HMEA (Hawaii Music Educators Association), AOSA (American Orff Schulwerk Association), HOSA (Hawaii Orff Schulwerk Association), NAPAMA (North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents), WAA (Western Arts Alliance), NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences), and SAI (Sigma Alpha Iota - International, Professional Fraternity for Women in Music).

Mia Evaimalo
Assistant Director

Mia Evaimalo, an alumna of HYOC, knew she was going to be a music teacher by the time she was in the 4th grade. Having attended the Kamehameha Schools since kindergarten, she grew up watching the song contest directors, and participating in Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus, Concert Glee Club, Warrior Marching Band, as well as other performing ensembles.

Upon graduation in 2001, she moved to southern California to attend Chapman University and study Music Education and Performance Conducting under Dr. William Hall. Returning home after graduating in May of 2006, she was hired at Sacred Hearts Academy as the choir teacher and is Director of the Stelline Ensemble in the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus.

Chet-Yeng Loong Ph.D
Assistant Director

Dr. Loong has completed all levels in Kodaly and Orff-Schulwerk and is certified in both of these methods. Before coming to the University of Hawaii, Dr. Loong taught music in the public schools of Malaysia; and at Baldwin-Wallace College, OH.

She has presented at local (Cleveland Orff-Chapter, New York City Orff-Chapter, NOCKA, Baldwin-Wallace College, Cleveland State University, Kent State University, The University of Akron), state (HAEYC, HMEA, LCCC, MMEA, OAEYC, OMEA, Peak-Arts Association, Boulder, CO, WMEA), regional (MENC, MKMEA), national (Suzuki National Conference, MENC, OAKE, AOSA), and international (ISME) conferences. Dr. Loong has also presented internationally, in a series of Early Childhood Music workshops in China (Chang Sa, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Shanghai, Suzhou, Xian and Xinjiang).

As a researcher, Dr. Loong has presented at the MENC poster session, the Early Childhood Music Conference at Michigan State University, the Desert Sky Research Symposium at Arizona State and the Symposium for Music Teacher Education, Greensboro, NC. Her research on early childhood and elementary music has been published in several leading journals (Bulletin of the International Kodaly Society, Early Childhood Connections, Early Childhood Spotlight - MENC, Kodaly Envoy, Perspectives - ECMMA, Triad and Orff Echo).

Currently, Dr. Loong serves as the Chair of the Music Education Department. She also serves on a steering committee of the Alliance for Active Music Making in General Music Teacher Education (Society for Music Teacher Education, MENC). Dr. Loong is the Director of the Bambini Ensemble for HYOC.

S. Mailelauli'i Naki
Assistant Director

Mailelauli’i is an Assistant Director with Hawai’i Youth Opera Chorus and has been a part of the organization since 1994. She is a graduate of 'Aiea High School and has a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies with an emphasis in Ancient Culture and a P.D. in Elementary Education. She currently directs the Angeli ensemble. A former Hawaiian Immersion Teacher at Pu’ohala Elementary and Music Educator at 'Aiea Elementary, Mailelauli’i is now making a difference on the West side of O'ahu as Music Educator at Ka Waihona O Ka Na'auao, a public charter school focusing on Hawaiian Culture in Nanakuli for Kindergarten through Grade 8. She also sits on the Advisory Board for ’Ohi’a Productions (a non-profit Family Entertainment Production Company), dances hula with Noenoelani Zuttermeister, sings with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma - Iota Chapter, dances with YMCA Dance Central and writes Hawaiian Poetry and Lyrics for songs performed both locally and around the world.

Rucci Aamodt
Accompanist
Keyboard & Theory Instructor
Festivals Coordinator

Rucci Aamodt began piano studies at the age of 5. She performed with the Honolulu Symphony as a Youth Talent Pool Competition winner and was also a winner in the Morning Music Club Competition. Rucci earned both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. She was head of the Music program at Maui Community College, choral director for the Maui Chapter of the Hawaiian Civic Club Association, and lecturer at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

Currently, Rucci serves on the music faculty at Kap'iolani Community College.

Erik Haines
Vocal Coach

Erik Haines holds a Master of Music Degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and has taught there as well as at Chaminade University, Windward Community College, and Punahou Music School. He has been a National Association of Teachers of Singing State Governor, a board member of the Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education and is currently president of the Waikele Elementary PTSO. He is the Director of Education for Hawaii Opera Theatre.

Erik has been performing with Hawaii Opera Theatre since his debut as in the 1986 production of The Tales of Hoffmann. He has been heard in the operas Carmen, Un Ballo in Maschera, Roméo et Juliette, Turandot, La Bohème, Samson et Dalila, Faust, The Merry Widow, The Bartered Bride, and others. Erik is often heard as a soloist around the state and continues to perform as a soloist with a variety of organizations.

Lauren Chang
Hula Instructor
Choreographer

Lauren is an alumna of HYOC where she began as a member of the 1st Angeli ensemble. After her graduation from Punahou school in 2001, she studied at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA (Aunty Nola’s alma mater).

Lauren graduated in the Spring of 2006 with her bachelors in Hawaiian Studies from the University of Hawaii Manoa. She is currently employed by the Hawaiian Language department at UH Manoa and is pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Ethnomusicology.

Lauren has danced hula under kumu hula Leimomi I Maldonado, of Ka Hale I O Kahala, for the past 16 years and now teaches keiki hula classes at their studio in Kahala.

Naomi Castro
Hula Instructor

Naomi is a 2004 graduate of Mililani High School. She is currently pursuing her B.M. In music at the University of Hawaii Manoa in vocal performance. She is a 2004 alumnae of HYOC where she spent 12 years as a member of the organization. Naomi is active in her church choir at the Honolulu Lutheran Church. She is also a member of the Hawaii Opera Theater Chorus.

Rebecca Ramos
Intern

Rebecca Ramos graduated from Radford High school in 2003. Singing in choirs since the sixth grade, Rebecca joined HYOC her freshman year of high school. As a member of the Gioventu and Na Leo ensembles, she interned with the Pacific Rim Childrens Choral Festival in its first three years. Rebecca is now attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa in pursuit of a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Vocal Music. Along with her regular classes, she has been actively participating in the University Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and Aunty Nola’s Hawaiian Chorus. Expanding her performance horizons, she recently joined the HOT Chorus and plans to continue the stage expanse by auditioning for local community theater as well.

Through interning with HYOC Rebecca hopes to gain more experience in all aspects of choral organization. She looks forward to opportunities to conduct and gain the other experiences she will need as a future music educator.

Shanita Akana
Intern

Shanita recently passed the praxis series music exam in order to begin the 15 week student teaching process this coming January. She is working toward certification and licensure as a Secondary Education music teacher with the DOE. She has a bachelor’s degree in Music (Vocal Performance) from UH Manoa, and a Master’s degree in Education from Chaminade University.
Her hobbies are reading and spending time with family. She is a wife and mother to three teenage sons: ages 19, 17, and 15. Her greatest musical accomplishment has been the making of three Christian recording CDs. She hopes to teach chorus at James Campbell High School next fall, but remain open to the direction God will take her.

Shanita wishes to thank Nola Nahulu for helping her pass the music praxis exam and for the invitation to join HYOC.

Kerri Tenno
Intern

Kerri is a 2003 graduate of St. Andrew’s Priory School and alumna of HYOC. She’s currently at the University of Hawaii-Manoa where she is finishing her Bachelor’s of Education in Elementary/General Music. Kerri is an active musician and member of Manoa Valley Church, participating in their choir, Praise Team (guitar), and musical ensemble (French horn). Prior to becoming an intern with HYOC, she taught as a part-time music teacher at Hokulani Elementary School.

Charlene Hazelwood
DOE Project Staff

Jeffrey Cooper
Webmaster
Internet Specialist

An experienced Choral Conductor and vocal soloist, Jeffrey Cooper combines his musical skills with his technical expertise to serve as the Festival's Managing Director. With advanced degrees in Choral Conducting and Music Education from the University of Washington and Pepperdine University, Jeffrey has conducted various choirs and taught choral music, conducting and voice for the past 15 years.

Jeffrey currently resides in Seattle, WA, where, in addition to designing websites and IT consulting, he serves as Minister of Music at Findlay Street Christian Church.