Posted on: Friday, February 22, 2002

'Olelo airing local singing special

Advertiser Staff

Daria belts an aria?

Not exactly, but Kathy Titchen?s ambitious new project for 'Olelo Community Television does animate the lives and achievements of five young singers training in opera and classical voice.

"Hawai'i's Young Voices" was inspired by free-lance writer Titchen's experiences as the parent of an aspiring singer. While in high school, Kanani Titchen won the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition, sponsored by the group's Hawai'i chapter.

"I remembered thinking it was too bad that while young would-be pop singers had many outlets to be heard – kids who embark on the discipline of studying classical singing had almost no exposure," Kathy Titchen said.

The resulting half-hour television special – airing on Oceanic Channel 52 all month – features Kanani Titchen, now an actress and drama teacher in San Diego, University of Hawai'i senior Quinn Kelsey, UH junior Megan Mount, Punahou and Tufts graduate Nicole Takesono, and Mark Boyle, who studied voice during a stint in Hawai'i as an electronics technician with the Navy.

It shows at 2:30 p.m. today, at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, 6 p.m. March 1 and at various other times on Oceanic Cable Channel 52.