Last Friday, Imiloa Astronomy Center presented a holiday concert featuring the Kona Harp Ensemble. The event was made complete with a selection of wine as well as cheese and delicious treats prepared by the Sky Garden Restaurant.

This particular event started with a reception in the atrium. Food and drinks! What better way to prepare for a harp performance?

When my sis, Carlen, first invited me to a “harp thingy” I have to admit I was intrigued! Music appreciation is something I learned at a very young age because I was exposed to an array of instruments. Also, it had been a very long time since I sat through a music performance that didn’t involve crowding into a middle school dining hall to support my sons.

My only previous experience of a harp “performance” was at a wedding. A woman in a white dress sat on a stool in the corner of a large room, plucking out the top 40 of the 17th century. I’m not sure if anyone but myself and whoever paid her really noticed.

This holiday concert was a different experience. The Ensemble members: Manuel Roberto, Bernice Roberto, Irminsul, and Jean Pierre Thoma delighted those in attendance with songs reminiscent of relaxation tunes one would expect at a spa. Beautifully arranged works of New Age and Classical artists truly personalized the flair of the ensemble, which celebrated the Season and the Spirit Child. Much deserving of the “hana hou” I requested.

The evening’s event was elevated with brilliant timing of the planetarium’s nighttime sky overhead.

The Kona Harp Ensemble’s next Hilo performance will be at Imiloa Astronomy Center on Sunday, December 13 at 11:00 a.m.. Joining them will be fifth member, Motter Snell, who will surely add great depth to each piece. Cheers!