Join the Orchid Isle Orchestra for a collaborative, holiday concert tonight

The Orchid Isle Orchestra is bringing more musicians together on stage for its 19th annual holiday concert aptly named “The Moor, the Merrier.”

The Orchid Isle Orchestra, conducted by Cathy Young, is a community string and percussion orchestra comprising students, amateur, and professional musicians.

Young founded the orchestra, as well as the Young Music Studio, to encourage string music education for individuals of all ages and backgrounds in East Hawaiʻi.

To make this year’s concert even more eventful, the Hilo High School Orchestra will be joining for the first time.

Besides referencing the featured orchestral work, “The Moorside Suite” by Gustav Holst, “The Moor, the Merrier” will showcase the large number of string players, beginning with Hilo High School’s orchestra and Young Music Studio players performing fiddle tunes and familiar music from the Suzuki repertoire—a core, progressive series of classical music pieces for string instruments.

Maestro David MacKenzie will then conduct 46 players from all three groups in the multi-level piece “Folk Tune Festival.”

Other collaborative pieces will include the fast-paced “Coiled!” by Bob Lipton, played by Young Music Studio players and the Orchid Isle Orchestra. Hilo High School will then join the Orchid Isle for a medley of holiday music.

The core group of 17 in the Orchid Isle Orchestra will perform the “Menuetto” from Dvořák’s “Serenade for Strings,” “Walzer” from Karłowicz’s “Serenade for Strings,” “Falling Water” by Yukiko Nishimura, alongside the Holst piece and holiday favorites, both instrumental-only and for a sing-along.

“The Moorside Suite” second movement features orchestra soloists from each section. “I’ll Be Bach for Christmas” weaves holiday carols with famous works by J.S. Bach.

The concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. this evening at the Hilo High School Auditorium. Concert admission is free, but donations are welcome.

For more information on future performances or to inquire about joining the Orchid Isle Orchestra, call Artistic Director Cathy Young at 808-982-9307.