Kona Historical Society is launching its new Hanohano ‘O Kona: Wahi Pana Lecture Series with Daniel Ho, a Grammy award-winning Hawaiian music virtuoso, who made waves with his Hawaiian version of “Nothing Compares to You,” featured in the 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
This lecture, Hawaiian Music and American Voices: A Performance and Discussion with Daniel Ho and Kealiʻi Ceballos, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7. The kanikapila venue is the Kalukalu pasture below Kona Historical Society’s headquarters, where the Society’s Portuguese Stone Oven Bread Baking Program occurs. The address is 81-6551 Mamalahoa Highway in Kealakekua.
Seating will be provided, but attendees may bring their own blanket and chair to sit on.
This lecture is being provided by Kona Historical Society in partnership with the Smithsonian Institute.
A Honolulu native, Daniel’s first instruments at age 8 were organ and ukulele, followed by classical guitar, bass, and drums. He spent his teenage years orchestrating big band arrangements. Daniel moved to Los Angeles, Calif., to study composing and film scoring at the Grove School of Music. He began his professional career as the leader, keyboardist, composer, and producer for the contemporary jazz group Kilauea, which had released six chart-topping albums by 1997. In 1998, Daniel launched his independent record label, Daniel Ho Creations. To date, Daniel Ho Creations has released over 100 acoustic and Hawaiian-themed albums. Daniel has received numerous Hawaiian music industry accolades including three Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards and 15 Hawaii Music Awards. He is also the recipient of six Taiwanese Golden Melody Awards for his work in world music.
Kealiʻi Ceballos is an acclaimed hula journeyman who attributes his deep love and appreciation for hula to his parents. He has studied with renowned kumu (teachers) such as Cecilia Cissylani Ceballos, Nona Beamer, George Naʻope, Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, and Robert Uluwehi Cazimero. In 1991, he founded Hālau Hula Kealiʻi o Nālani, and has since taught over 2,000 dancers in the Los Angeles area. In its 28th year, his award-winning hālau has performed in prestigious events and competitions across the U.S. and internationally. Kealiʻi teaches at UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance, is faculty at Santa Monica College, and travels to Japan, Taiwan, and Mexico to work with hula students under his direction. An equally talented vocalist and ballroom dancer, he’s consulted and choreographed for major motion pictures. Kealiʻi strives to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture—its art, identity, language, and sense of ohana.
Performing alongside Daniel and Keali’i on Jan. 7 will be Randy Drake, Steve Billman and Lydia Miyashiro-Ho.
In 2020, Kona Historical Society is launching Hanohano ‘O Kona: Wahi Pana Lecture Series, which consists of a series of events for three months in the spring that bring together distinguished speakers and award-winning musicians to share stories of Hawaii’s important landmarks, neighborhoods and ahupua‘a in venues associated with these places. This series is an offshoot of Kona Historical Society’s original Hanohano ‘O Kona Lectures Series, which began nearly a decade ago and grown in popularity, sometimes resulting in full-capacity at venues. This new program helps create unique, even more memorable opportunities that allow attendees to gain a deeper understanding of Hawaii’s unique local culture and history while being immersed in locations that help give a greater sense of place. Funding from Hanohano ‘O Kona: Wahi Pana Lecture Series was generously provided by Hawaii Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program.
The lectures are free of charge and open to all, residents and visitors alike.
Kona Historical Society is a community-based, nonprofit organization and Smithsonian Museum affiliate that has spent the past four decades collecting, preserving and sharing the history of the Kona districts and their rich cultural heritage within Hawaii.