It was during one of Renee Wo’s daily North Shore swims that inspired her to put together a harp concert. “The water has been my saving grace, and the cetacean nation is my family. They are all about love and
It was during one of Renee Wo’s daily North Shore swims that inspired her to put together a harp concert.
“The water has been my saving grace, and the cetacean nation is my family. They are all about love and the true aloha spirit” Wo said. “When I got the message to do this concert, it was definitely from the dolphins. They told me to bring the harpists together.”
The Festival of Healing Harps is 3 p.m. Sunday at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville and will feature four harpists performing individual sets. Some selections will be performed as a duet accompanied by song or other musical instruments, including a flute, cello, udu drum or slack key guitar.
As a finale, the harpists will perform a sing-along to John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
Wo, who describes herself as an introvert, said she never put together anything like this before.
“This is a demonstration for me coming together with other fellow musicians, and join our unique expressions to create a greater harmony,” Wo said.
One of Wo’s first steps was to contact fellow harpist Anela Lauren of Lawa‘i. Lauren, who has been playing the harp professionally since 2001, instantly was on board.
“I’ve been feeling like I’m the only harpist, I didn’t know there were more,” said Lauren, who played the harp professionally since 2001. “I want to play with more harpists, and I think it’s going to be so much fun to have four harps playing at the same time.”
The concert is in memory of Carmen Dragon, who was the musical director at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville, the venue where the concert is being held.
“When I head that Carmen had passed, I was inspired to continue her tradition,” Wo said. Natalie Rogers, who is performing at the festival, was one of Dragon’s students.
Lauren also has a connection with Dragon: the two played their harps for a show titled “Quilters” about pioneering women in the United States.
After the concert, there will be a short intermission followed by a sacred sound session designed to relax and calm the spirit.
The sacred sound session will feature group of temple instruments, including a large gong and a didgeridoo.
“Sound is really a big portal into love,” Wo said. “Harps are an instrument of peace and love.”
Lauren will bring her small harp as an offering to those who are inspired to perform with the musicians during the sacred sound session.
“I am very well aware of my purpose of playing the harp. It makes everyone mellow.” Lauren said. “Everyone is just too crazy, wild and out control. We just need to take it down a notch.”
Lauren is a classically trained pianist who started performing at the age of four, but it was a chance excursion into a Washington, D.C. music shop that inspired her to try the harp.
During this Sunday’s festival, Lauren said she will be playing “a little bit of everything,” including holiday songs and a duet with slack key guitarist Cindy Combs.
“I don’t really have a musical style,” Lauren said. “I love to play Hawaiian music because it just fits in so well with the setting. I also really love to play Celtic music.”
Wo will be performing original compositions inspired by the ocean animals she loves. All of Wo’s compositions are sound healing. Wo, who is a licensed massaged therapist, understands that sound is important for the healing process. She describes her style as “slack key harp.”
“I always worked with Hawaiian music since I moved to Hawai‘i to honor my host culture,” Wo said. “I tune the harp into different tunings, like a slack key guitar.”
Without any money to begin with, everything started coming together for Wo. People began donating money and local businesses have offered to sponsor the event.
Wo and Lauren hope to capitalize on the momentum behind this Sunday’s festival and hold three additional concerts around different parts of the island.
“This is just the beginning,” Wo said. “Magic is happening.”
The Festival of Healing Harps is 3 p.m. Sunday at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville. The cost is $20 per person or $35 per couple. There is no charge for keiki. For more information, call 936-3294.
