KoholĀ Sings (2021)
for solo harp
duration: 5 minutes
Program Notes
Koholā (pronounced ko-ho-LAH) is the Hawaiian word for humpback whales. Every winter, thousands of humpback whales migrate from Alaska to the warm waters of Hawai'i to mate, give birth, and raise their young. Especially during this time, the males are known for singing their loud and complex songs. Koholā Sings starts and ends with an imitation of these humpback whale song. The remainder of the piece tries to encapsulate the awe that we feel when seeing these impossibly large creatures, even for a fleeting moment, as they come to the surface to breathe, splash, or – if we're particularly lucky – surge out of the surface to breach.