Hawai'i teacher brings her love of music home
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
After 20 years of teaching music and forming choirs around the world, a Hawai'i woman has returned to the Ko'olauloa area where she grew up and is sharing her love of music with dozens of O'ahu youngsters.
Since Esther Macy formed the Ko'olauloa Singing Kids a little more than a year ago, the group of children ages 5 to 13 has entertained more than 30 times.
Besides giving children a chance to develop their talents, the choir serves as an important social outlet, allowing kids who love music a chance to be around others with the same interest, parents say.
The choir is not unique — the community has had other choirs — but Macy is, said Vonn Logan, whose daughters, ages 5 and 8, sing in the choir.
"If anything is special about the group, it's Esther Macy," Logan said. "She has such a love of music and the teaching of music appreciation to children."
Macy, 50, is a Kahuku High School and Brigham Young University graduate with a degree in elementary education and music.
She had been away for two decades, first following her husband in his military career and later joining the service herself.
Throughout that time, the mother of nine taught music and established several school choirs.
Returning home in June 2000, she decided she wanted to share her love of music with the children of Ko'olauloa.
"I love music, and they love music too," she said. "They just need someone to bring it out."
Recently, her group of about 70 children honored recipients of the Ko'olau Loa Outstanding Service Award, and the audience gave them a standing ovation, said Napua Baker, coordinator of the award ceremony.
"The children are exceptional," Baker said. "They sing with joy, and their message was powerful. They sang about heroes."
Made up primarily of students from Hau'ula, La'ie and Kahuku elementary schools and from as far away as Mililani and Sunset, the Ko'olauloa Singing Kids was created in January 2001 by Macy, with the help of Terry Eskaran and Shirley De La Rosa.
When Macy, the choral director, called for applicants, 80 children showed up. But she could handle only 70 because of their ages.
"It's a tough group," said Logan, program coordinator for Brigham Young University-Hawai'i's division of continuing education. BYUH sponsors the choir and allows them to practice on campus. "You have so many different ages, capability levels and attention spans."
The two-hour classes once a week are loving, warm — and strict, Logan said.
"The kids are very disciplined," he said, adding that the practices are sprinkled with breaks to "get the wiggles out."
Logan's youngest was reluctant to attend, fussing and crying to get out, but now she doesn't stop singing, he said.
"As a parent, I'm really glad she had a chance to confront a fear like this and to learn it's not bad," Logan said, adding that his older daughter benefited socially from the choir, making new friends who share her love of music.
Macy charges $30 for a four-month training program, all of it used to purchase uniforms, props and music, she said.
The full-time nurse at BYUH health center said she does it for the love of music.
Macy hopes to raise $4,350 to send 10 of her choir members to an invitation-only summer training program in Hawai'i led by renowned children's choir conductor Henry Leck, founder and executive director of the Indianapolis Children's Choir.
The Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival, of which the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus is host, will take place this summer at BYUH.
Macy received an invitation recently with a May 15 payment deadline, making it impossible to do any fund-raising.
She said she tried to solicit support from local organizations but was turned down.
Anyone wishing to donate should call her between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 293-3509, and after 5 p.m. at 293-1796.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
