{"id":94799,"date":"2019-04-18T09:44:32","date_gmt":"2019-04-18T19:44:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=94799"},"modified":"2023-02-06T14:59:13","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T00:59:13","slug":"hawaiian-kauila-wood-oboe-debuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2019\/04\/18\/hawaiian-kauila-wood-oboe-debuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Unique instrument of rare Hawai\u02bbi wood debuts at concert"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Oboist J. Scott Janusch holds an oboe made of Hawaiian kauila wood.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The world\u2019s first and only handcrafted oboe made of Hawaiian kauila wood makes its debut next month in an oboe concerto composed by nationally known composer and University of Hawaiʻi<\/span>–West Oʻahu<\/span> Associate Professor Jon Magnussen<\/strong>. The set of performances features 东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa music lecturer and oboist J. Scott Janusch<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

“I feel privileged and honored to finally be able to share the culmination of two years’ effort to bring this project to life,” said Janusch.<\/p>\n

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东精影业<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> Associate Professor Jon Magnussen. (Photo credit: 东精影业<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span>).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Magnussen was commissioned to compose N\u0101 Kau ʻElua<\/span> | The Two Seasons<\/em> for Janusch and the Hawaiian Oboe Legacy Project<\/a> (HOLP<\/abbr>), which involved the crafting of an oboe out of kauila wood thought to be 200- to 300-years old. Kauila wood is rare and culturally significant.<\/p>\n

Magnussen also helped in researching the historic importance of the wood, which is one of Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s hardest native woods and was used for the making of everyday objects including farming tools, kapa beaters and weapons. <\/p>\n

HOLP<\/abbr> was envisioned by Janusch as a gift to the islands where he has spent the majority of his professional life as a celebrated oboist, teacher and supporter of local arts. The kauila wood used is from Kauaʻi<\/span> and was harvested more than 25 years ago by Konohiki Ed Kaiwi in a rural area near Waimea Canyon. Kaiwi\u2019s longtime friend, noted luthier Michael Sussman, was given a portion of this wood. Once he learned of Janusch\u2019s idea, he agreed to gift the remaining wood to HOLP<\/abbr> and milled two billets from the tree trunk. These billets were taken to the Worthing factory of Howarth of London—a world-renowned oboe maker—where the Hawaiian oboe was completed in about two years. <\/p>\n

N\u0101 Kau ʻElua<\/span><\/em> reflects the lunar moons of the Hawaiian year <\/h2>\n

The concerto is a 12-movement work for string quartet, piano, Hawaiian and western percussion instruments and a solo oboe. Magnussen paid heed to the kauila wood\u2019s age by composing N\u0101 Kau ʻElua<\/span> | The Two<\/em> Seasons using harmonies and melodies from Antonio Vivaldi\u2019s The Four Seasons<\/em> (1721), a concerto written roughly around the same time as when the oboe\u2019s wood began to grow. <\/p>\n

The 12-movement design also reflects the 12 lunar moons of the Hawaiian year, which is divided into two seasons: wet (kau hoʻoilo<\/span>) and dry (kau wela). Each of the movements features a concept or object traditionally made of kauila wood. Plans for the instrument call for Live Music Awareness<\/a>, the fiscal sponsor of HOLP<\/abbr>, to care for the oboe and make it available for generations to come. <\/p>\n

The premiere performance of N\u0101 Kau ʻElua<\/span> | The Two<\/em> Seasons and the debut of HOLP<\/abbr> will be part of Chamber Music Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s season finale<\/a> during a pair of performances in May. Janusch, who is the principal oboist for the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Symphony Orchestra, will perform with the Galliard String Quartet<\/a>, 东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Professor of Music Thomas Yee<\/a> and Jordan Schifino<\/a>, 东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa lecturer and Hawaiʻi<\/span> Symphony Orchestra percussionist. <\/p>\n

The performances are scheduled for:<\/p>\n