At Lutheran Church of Honolulu we believe the arts hold a special place in our community. In the fall of 2019 Scott Fikse launched the First Mondays Concert Series to create more opportunities for local musicians perform, program outstanding works of the chamber repertoire that do not get performed frequently, and establish LCH as a hub for music in the community. Offered in the superb acoustics of the LCH nave, these concerts have provided enjoyment for the entire community ever since.
Concerts are offered on the first Monday of each month (with some exceptions for holidays) beginning at 6:15 pm with pūpū in the Hörmann Courtyard and continuing with the concert in the Nave at 7:00 pm. Concerts are free and supported by a suggested donation of $20 at the door and the contributions from donors, including the generous sponsorship of the Arthur and Mae Orvis Foundation.
In support of the larger community, we continue to collect packaged, unopened dry goods (e.g., cereal, flour, sugar, pasta, etc.) and canned food donations for the Angel Network (a private, non-profit organization serving O‘ahu’s homeless and at-risk families as a foodbank) at each concert.
Our Next Concert: May 6—Astor Piazzolla
Our final concert in the 2023–2024 First Mondays Chamber Concerts will be a journey of sound through the music of Astor Piazzolla. We will be joined by many different instruments presenting Histoire de Tango and two movements from Estaciones Porteñas.
2023–2024 Season Program
| September 11, 2023 • 7:00 pm | A Journey through the Ages from Bach to Barber The First Mondays Concert Series remembers September 11th with a concert of sublime and transcendent music. An orchestra of outstanding local musicians led by Alexander Peña will be joined by soloists Helen Liu (violin), Alex Hayashi (oboe), and Kathleen Long (cello). The program includes Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber (1910–1981), Concerto for Violin and Oboe in c minor, bwv 1060r, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), Klid (Silent Woods or Waldesruhe), Op. 68, by Antonin Dvorak (1841–1904), and Siegfried Idyll, wwv 103, by Richard Wagner (1813–1883). |
| October 2, 2023 • 7:00 pm | For Love of the ʻUkulele Legends in the Hawai‘i music community, Benny Chong, ʻukulele, and Byron Yasui, bass, present a concert featuring, ʻukulele jazz, ʻukulele and bass duets, rarely-heard ʻukulele duets, and a talk story where both players describe their start in ʻukulele playing. This concert will flow through a variety of musical genres, and the artists will also share with us demonstrations of solo ʻukulele styles and repertoire from the 1940s, as compared to those of the present. |
| November 6, 2023 • 7:00 pm | Echoes of Passion: An Eclectic Collection of Romantic Art Songs New Hawaiʻi-based duo ʻImi Ola (to seek life in its highest form) will transform us through the music of Queen Liliʻuokalani, Alban Berg, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and others. You will be serenaded by the transcendent soprano voice of Natalie Mitchell collaborating with the vibrant piano skills of Jasmine Nagano. They will take you on a journey through art songs from around the world and provide you with an unforgettable evening. |
| December 4, 2023 • 7:00 pm | A Festival of Carols in Brass—Re-Imagined Join our brass ensemble for some fresh arrangements of your favorite traditional carols. Inspired by A Festival of Carols in Brass, recorded in 1967 by the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble, these arrangements were created by Japan-born trumpet player Hayato Tanaka. Let the festive sounds of brass bring you some holiday cheer with beauty, elegance, and flare! This concert will help you set the mood for the Christmas season. |
| January 8, 2024 • 7:00 pm | Fiesta! Start the New Year right with electrifying string quartet versions of music by your favorite Latin American composers, including Oscar Eduardo Peña, Arturo Marquez, and others. You will be whisked away on a journey that begins 2024 in style! The quartet is made up of Helen Liu and Rachel Saul, violins; Susan Leon, viola; and Sibora Miloradovic, cello. |
| February 5, 2024 • 7:00 pm | A World Tour in Sound: Making the Pipes Sing! Join LCH Director of Music and Liturgy and Organist Barry J. Wenger as he gives a tour in sound of the wonderful Beckerath organ. Beginning with Bach’s famous Pièce d’Orgue and finishing with Max Reger’s stunning Passacaglia, take a tonal tour through our instrument. Hear new pieces for organ as well, including music by Pärt and Hovhanness. |
| March 4, 2024 • 7:00 pm | An Alf Hurum Centennial: Celebrating a Norwegian Immigrant Who Made Honolulu Home The Northwest Edvard Grieg Society presents music by Norwegian-born composer Alf Hurum on the 100th anniversary of his immigration to Hawai‘i. Hurum was a renowned composer in Norway and was inspired by Debussy and Stravinsky. In the second half of his life, Hurum became a respected visual artist who was active in the Honolulu art scene. Featuring his compositions for men’s chorus, violin, and piano, and showcasing his paintings, this concert will explore the music and art of a man who called Hawai‘i home for over 40 years. |
| April 8, 2024 • 7:00 pm | Po‘okela Trio Led by Greg Sardinha, Hawaiian steel guitar artist, the Poʻokela Trio will take you back to the music of 1930s and ’40s in Hawai‘i. Joined by Zachary N. Castro, guitar, and CT “Kata” Maduli, electric bass, Greg will whisk you away on a magical journey celebrating this iconic music! |
| May 6, 2024 • 7:00 pm | Astor Piazzolla Our final concert in the 2023–2024 First Mondays Chamber Concerts will be a journey of sound through the music of Astor Piazzolla. We will be joined by many different instruments presenting Histoire de Tango and two movements from Estaciones Porteñas. |
Current Season Program 2022–2023 Season Program 2021–2022 Season Program 2020–2021 Season Program 2019–2020 Season Program
Help Make “First Mondays” a Success by Becoming a Sponsor
Your tax-deductible donations make it possible for us to offer these free concerts to the community. Please consider a donation by sending a check (payable to “Lutheran Church of Honolulu”) to the church at 1730 Punahou Street, Honolulu, HI 96822, or using the button below to make a secure donation via PayPal. Mahalo for your support.