GALA CONCERT

Virtuoso, songwriter, singer and producer, Taimane, is best known for her fierce and inventive style of playing the ukulele helping the hapa Samoan (part caucasian and part indigenous Samoan) artist earn four Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards and garner over 50 million video views and over 500,000 social media followers to date.

Hailing from a musical Polynesian family including her late mother, Palepa Tauiliili Gardner (Miss Samoa 1978), Taimane’s attraction to the four-string island staple began at age 5. By age 10, she regularly performed in public, busking in Waikiki every Friday night with her father holding down security duties and Waikiki Beach Boys (adults whose home & workplace was the beach) serving as her band. By age 13, Taimane landed a position in Don Ho’s show literally playing in the spotlight every week until Ho’s passing.

Fast forward to today, and you have an artist who tours the world and has carved out a unique niche in music – merging a wide-array of genres, from Bach to rock, flamenco infernos to tribal hymns, summoning a seemingly limitless palette of emotions via an instrument previously viewed as restricted.

Kalei’s adventure with the ukulele began at the age of thirteen. His exposure to a wide variety of ukulele masters including Alfred Canopin,Gordon Mark, Byron Yasui, Benny Chong and Kimo Hussey,motivated him to embrace a range of styles – jazz,rock,pop,classical,blues,flamenco,funk,as well as the music of his cultural roots,Hawaiian and island contemporary.

With 3 completed nominated albums to his name Kalei Gamiao been at the forefront of today’s ukulele revolution since 2008 when his debut album, “Contemporary Ukulele,” kicked up the demand for performances in the U.S market. After the release of his second album entitled “Redefined” in 2012 a greater demand for ore of his music and performances exposed Kalei to hundreds of thousands of ukulele enthusiasts from around the world as he continues to tour countries such as Thailand,Japan,Taiwan,Philippines,Korea,China,Hong Kong,Malaysia,Singapore and the U.S mainland.
When his third album “Merry Ukulele Christmas” released in 2013 as a seasonal project it propelled and broadened Kalei’s repertoire to new levels as many web and social media sites provide instant access for his fans to stay connected to his music and the explosive world-wide popularity of the ukulele. With the release of his 4th latest album “These Moments” in 2016 he has already traveled and performed in different parts of the world to share his passion for music.

As a true ukulele virtuoso he sums it up by saying….. “My ukulele expresses every word and emotion. I love to create and share my musical journeys for everyone to enjoy”.

Brittni Paiva is a powerhouse in the world of music, celebrated for her unparalleled ukulele mastery and her influence on the global resurgence of the instrument. With millions of views on YouTube and a reputation that extends across world music circles, Brittni has firmly established herself as a top-tier artist and producer.

Her virtuosity has led to performances alongside iconic figures such as Carlos Santana, Tommy Emmanuel, Dick Dale, Billy Gibbons, and many others. Throughout her illustrious career, Brittni has garnered numerous accolades, including four Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. Grammy winner Tom Scott, captivated by her ability to innovate while preserving her unique identity, personally requested to collaborate with her.

Beyond her performance accolades, Brittni is a sought-after music educator, offering private lessons and workshops that inspire students of all ages and skill levels. Her expertise extends into composition, arrangement, and production, where she has crafted and shaped numerous tracks within her own recording studio.

Born and raised on the beautiful island of Hawaii, Brittni’s diverse heritage—Portuguese, Danish, Hawaiian, and Japanese—enriches her music and fuels her creative vision.

Ian O’Sullivan is a classically-trained guitarist and composer from the North Shore of O’ahu.

Well-versed in Hawaiian music and the ‘ukulele, in addition to the Western classical repertoire, Ian has performed internationally as well as throughout the United States including Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall. In 2013 Ian released his first solo album “Born and Raised,” featuring his original compositions alongside music of fellow Hawaii composers. In 2016 he released his second album “Songs for the North Shore”- a set of original compositions written for specific places and stories from the North Shore of O‘ahu.

Ian entered the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa as a marine biology major, in 2001. Soon after he met Grammy Award winning artist, and (at that time) lecturer of classical guitar at UH Manoa, Jeff Peterson. He introduced Ian to the world of classical guitar. During his years at UH, Ian transformed from a non-music-literate garage band guitarist to being the first Hawaiian guitarist to be accepted to Yale University’s School of Music.

Ian’s past performances included the New York Classical Guitar Society, Minnesota Guitar Society, Peninsula Guitar Series, Korea International Guitar Festival, Na Hiwahiwa Festival in Tokyo, and Benjamin Verdery’s Maui Guitar Class.

Ian currently teaches at Kamehameha Schools’ Kapālama Campus.