Hawaiian Super Group HAPA Returns in Concert at Camden County College

HAPA, often described as the “Sound of Maui,” will infuse New Jersey with the warmth of the Hawaiian Islands as the band returns to Camden County College on February 19.

HAPA’s award –winning combination of soft pop and folk rock, Hawaiian Slack key guitar, and soaring melodies sung in the native island language creates a distinct sound that local audiences have come to enjoy.

This concert, part of the Sounds of Paradise Series, marks HAPA’s third performance presented by Mainstage Center for the Arts (MCA) in three years.

“We’ve become known for presenting authentic Hawaiian concerts and workshops,” said Ed Fiscella, Producing Artistic Director, MCA. “Soon after HAPA performed last year, folks were asking me when they’d be back. It’s always a pleasure to see them perform, not only is the music beautiful, but it’s apparent that they truly enjoy putting on their show.”

HAPA, featuring majestic tones of oli (chant) and mele (song), along with the elegant movements of the sacred hula and the exhilarating and innovative sounds of virtuoso slack key guitar has been called a “feast for the eyes, ears, and soul.”’

Delivering this sound are:

· Founder and driving force, Barry Flanagan, who is known for his guitar and song writing skills and vocal performances. Though he has lived in Hawaii for decades, Barry is a New Jersey native.

· Kapona Na ili ila, native Hawaiian speaker, chanter, and hula dancer with beautiful vocals and master of multiple instruments; including guitar, percfussion, and cello.

· Tarvin Makia, bassist, who started playing music at age five and has performed in Japan, throughout the US and Canada.

· Radasha Ho’ohuli, hula dancer and former Miss Hawaii USA. She was a featured soloist at Paradise Cove Luau for nearly 10 years and continues to be a premier soloist in Hawai’i and abroad.

Mainstage’s high school show choir, Harmony, will open for HAPA . Harmony toured on the Island of Oahu this summer, performing for local residents and learning Hawaiian culture.

Tickets for HAPA in Concert range from $20 for seniors and students under 12 to $30 for adults. To purchase, visit www.mainstage.org or call (856) 302-6485.

Next up and concluding the Sounds of Paradise Series, is the Masters of Hawaiian Music on March 3 at 7:30 p.m. This event features Multiple Grammy award-winning artists George Kahumoku, Jr., Ledward Kaapana, and Richard Ho’opi’l. These Masters share the delightful experience of ki-ho’alu (slack key guitar) – the distinctly Hawaiian style of open tunings – ‘ukulele and Hawaiian vocals. Tickets to this performance are also available at www.mainstage .org.

Photo Caption -
HAPA’s Kapona Na ili ila, Tarvin Makja, and Barry Flanagan will deliver a beautiful Hawaiian sound to local audiences, January 30, 7:30 pm, Camden County College.

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*HAPA’s name comes from the Hawaiian word for half. Another definition is a person of mixed South Pacific Islander ancestry. If an individual has one parent whom is a South Pacific Islander, and one parent whom is of an ethnicity outside of Pacific Islander, they would generally be considered “Hapa.” HAPA, the musical duo, consists of one man, Kapona Na ili ila, of South Pacific ancestry and Barry Flanagan, from New Jersey. For more information about HAPA, please visit http://www.hapa.com/

Mainstage Center for the Arts, head quartered at Academy Hall, Blackwood, Gloucester Township, with performances located at Camden County College, Blackwood, NJ is committed to make the arts experience enjoyable for all its patrons. In an effort to make the shows, concerts, events, workshops, classes, and offices accessible to as many as possible, Mainstage offers many services for patrons requiring assistance. For anyone in need of assistance, please notify the office at (856) 302-6485, at the time of purchasing tickets, or at least five days prior to the event you are attending.

Mainstage Center for the Arts, the parent program for Summer Stage, is a 501 © (3) non-profit organization committed to providing a creative, vibrant, and nurturing environment for youth and adults. This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.