Noel Okimoto’s Ohana Jazz
George Kuo and the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame Serenaders: Dennis Keohokalole, Aaron Mahi, George Kuo, Greg Sardinha, Alan Akaka
Side by Side: Hawaii Youth Symphony Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dean Taba. Instructors Noel Okimoto and Ryan Howe play at Studio 909 “side by side” with MAH professional Allen Won, sax, and visiting artist Haru Takauchi, guitar.
PBS Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Phil and Bob Scellato
Ko’olau Music Festival Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPKvLBZI4_Q
Music Performance Trust Fund 75th Anniversary!
The Music Performance Trust Fund’s (MPTF) mission is to enrich lives through music and to contribute to the public knowledge and appreciation of music. To this end, MPTF has, for 75 years, provided grants to pay musicians to provide professional-level, quality musical experiences to public school students, older citizens, and the general community free of charge.
MPTF was created out of an AFM labor action in 1948, resulting in major record companies contributing a percentage of music sales revenue to MPTF. This provided work for musicians and quality live musical performances for the general public. Since 1948, over 620 million dollars in MPTF grants has gone to musicians of all genres across the U.S. and Canada.
Some of the companies funding MPTF today are Sony Music, Disney, Universal Music, and the Warner Music Group. More recently, in keeping with technical/digital developments, AFM negotiated a percentage of streaming fees to also go to MPTF.
MPTF in Hawaii Update
In 2023, MPTF and MAH have sponsored over 24 events, providing approximately 140 “services” or gigs to musicians in a wide array of genres: classical, jazz, traditional Hawaiian, R&B, country, pop.
Note that MPTF allows musicians the opportunity of creative expression, without pressure or direction from a commercial venue as to musical content, which also gives the public access to more varied artistic programs.
Some MPTF/MAH events: PBS Jazz Ensemble, Allen Won Quartet, TJ Ricer’s Tuba Quartet fourTE!, George Kuo’s Hawaiian Hall of Fame Serenaders, DeShannon Higa’s Subtonic Orchestra, Jeanine Markley & Rachel Saul, Ko’olau Music Festival, Benny Chong & Byron Yasui, visiting artists Pete Christlieb, Haru Takauchi, and many more…
Through April 2024, MPTF is offering funding at 100 percent for live stream events (with or without a live audience), any musical style for various sized ensembles. The venue may be at MAH Studio 909, or a venue of your choosing (schools, senior/assisted living facilities, homes, theaters, etc.).
For more information or to apply for an MPTF grant-funded performance, contact us at: sec-tres@musicianshawaii.com or call (808) 596-2121.
From the Fall/Winter 2023-2024 issue, Ke Ola O Na Mele