Page 2 - MidWeek - May 24, 2023

2 MIDWEEK MAY 24, 2023
Math and reading scores across the United States dropped in 2022, while Hawai‘i’s scores (for fourth- and eighth-grad- ers) held their own or increased, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Nice job locally by the kids and teachers, but there’s still a long way to go.
A moment captured at the finals of the Ke‘alohi International Piano Competition with Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra. PHOTO COURTESY LISA NAKAMICHI
While curriculum dos and don’ts continue to wreak havoc politically across the country, there are other areas of concern beyond reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic. History scores for eighth-graders plunged, there was a decline in civics — and don’t even ask about economics knowledge as half of the states, including Hawai‘i, don’t push or require it.
For such an undertaking, full support from the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra was critical, as we would need its partnership and its perfor- mance of three full piano con- certos for the final round of competition. Doggedly pitch- ing the idea for more than a decade, I remained convinced
threw the idea to Dave Moss, the new HSO president. His enthusiastic “let’s do it!” launched us into immediate preparation.
Worrisome now was the short lead time. But response from young pianists around the world was overwhelm- ing, and 15 phenomenal pi- anists were invited to com- pete. Watching the finalists play their concertos with the HSO in June 2022, was surre- al. Had all these years really culminated in this moment?
Locally, the Hawai‘i Council on Economic Education tried in vain for decades to get basic economics mandat- ed in some form in our schools. According to the National Council for Economic Education, 40% of Americans have less than $300 in savings; just 24% of Millennials demon- strate basic financial literacy; and 50% of America’s youth will earn less than their parents. While it’s not all or always about money, understanding (and then acting upon) basic economic concepts might help us avoid or mitigate the next financial crisis (see the 2007 subprime mortgage crisis, as confusion reigned).
that someday, someone would grasp its value. Sensing an op- portunity and the right timing in the summer of 2021, I
But as months of planning during COVID dragged by without a venue, things looked bleak. I was on the verge of postponing the competition, when suddenly both Blaisdell Center and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Department of Music tentatively agreed to the dates, with the understand- ing that they might shut down if COVID rates rose.
I am proud for not giving up on the dream of hosting a world-class piano competi- tion in Hawai‘i. At the same time, the kinds of obstacles we faced showed that much
Twenty five states currently mandate that students take an economics course to graduate — practical, available, basic knowledge. And, learning more about history might encour- age more people to become more involved and encourage greater engagement on civics, ethics and social issues. Ig- norance and arrogance are not great platforms upon which to run a fruitful democracy.
KELLEY
An Unwavering Vision
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accom- Wplish it; the time will pass anyway.” — Earl Nightingale
ho could have imagined that Forth Worth,
IWell, Whaddaya Know?
Texas, known as “Cowtown,” would become a center of classical music? But if the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition held there could have that effect, why not cre- ate a world-class international piano competition in a tour- ist destination like Hawai‘i? Fifteen years ago, it seemed an impossible goal, but that is what I envisioned for Hawai‘i with the Ke‘alohi Internation- al Piano Competition.
gnorance is bliss — until it’s not. The proverb that orig- inated more than 350 years ago is surely a truism for youngsters, but becomes less acceptable as we age and
success came because many people shared the same vi- sion. Determination, tenacity, optimism and patience were major factors in bringing the dream to reality. Without those, it would still be 15 years later, but we would not have heard 15 outstanding musicians.
Lisa Nakamichi is an inter- nationally known concert pia- nist and recitalist, and found- er of the Aloha International Piano Festival, which is now in its 16th year. In June 2022, she launched the Ke‘alohi International Piano Compe- tition in Honolulu, which will be held again in 2025.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
try to navigate our way through the real world — ignorance often leads to problems.
New Century Schoolbook bold (scaled H 73.6)
with Lisa Nakamichi
If you’re a parent or a mentor, help kids learn more stuff about more stuff. There are fun ways to capture history’s lessons. I just took a short, eighth-grade history exam while reading about the recent, rocky student results. I flunked — badly. A wake-up call for me. And one can always learn the basics of when not to buy things (cars, homes, credit cards, Amazon “wants”) outside of one’s existing financial realities.
No, ignorance is not bliss at some junctures. We (the col- lective community) need to make sure our kids learn to make better choices on alluring options later in life.
Think about it.
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com