SONGS OF JOY: A PBS HAWAII HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1 at 9:30 PM

"Nu Oli." "Haleluia." "Mele Kalikimaka la Kakou." Whether it's a Hawaiian Christmas medley, an interpretation of a popular song or a special composition to mark the season, local musicians share their favorites in the encore presenation of Songs of Joy: A PBS Hawaii Holiday Celebration, Monday, December 1 at 9:30 pm.

Songs of Joy (image)

Co-hosted by PBS Hawaii President and CEO Leslie Wilcox and Hawaiian cultural expert/musician Aaron Salā, the pledge of support program features: Manu Boyd; Ho'okena with Maila Gibson; Kuana Torres Kahele; Henry Kapono; Nina Kealiiwahamana with Aaron Salā; The Leo Nahenahe Singers; Gail Mack with Gordon Kim; and Peter Medeiros with Josh Silva and Nate Stillman. Members of the PBS Hawaii Board of Directors serve as phone bank volunteers.

Songs of Joy (image)

Recorded earlier, the production brought back sweet memories of Christmas past for the performers. "It was such a big part of my life, the music of Christmas, so when Mother taught it to us in Hawaiian, it was just something that we thought we should perpetuate," recalls Nina Kealiiwahamana. Gordon Kim's "That's Christmas to Me" was composed for Gail Mack based on her oldest son Max. "As I started singing, there was just this wave of nostalgia and it was so sentimental," says Mack as Kim adds, "I had clear memories of Max when he was just a baby and it just struck me that we watch our children grow up so quickly."