Dear Los Angeles Youth Orchestra,

Regarding the possible Maui 2020 tour, I want you to know I didn't pick this destination "out of a hat." Rather, I have specific ideas for an experience you will treasure your whole life. Let me share why with some photos…

This is my friend George Kahumoku, Jr., world famous grammy-winning Hawaiian Slack Key Guitarist. Everyone calls him "Uncle George." He is one of Hawaii's most revered artists and cultural ambassadors. For me, he is a unique human being, someone who lives and carries traditions that go back thousands of years, but is also a modern 21st century person who has the rare ability to fuse the best of the ancient and modern ideas and expertly share them with others. He is a master teacher.

This is Uncle George’s annual slack key guitar and ukulele workshop…

Uncle George’s talents extend beyond music. He's a renowned sculptor, a skilled farmer (with several patents), and a master storyteller.  On our tour, we will perform with Uncle George and he will teach us about Hawaiian music and culture. We will also visit his farm and learn about plants and ancient farming techniques—maybe even shear his goats!

 Shearing goats. He made me try it too :)

Our main concert will be at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. It has a nice concert hall.

I’m also working to see if we can collaborate with the Maui Youth Orchestra. Our concert will feature our own music, of course, plus accompanying Uncle George on several of his songs. We’ll also have a second performance “Upcountry” in the mountains.

The tour will include our two performances, a day with Uncle George learning Hawaiian music and culture, a day on Uncle George’s farm, a day at the annual Maui Slack Key Guitar Festival, George’s own show at the beautiful Napili Kai Resort, and of course experiencing the unparalleled beauty of Maui. We will go to Big Beach with its dazzling blue water and stunning sunsets…

We’ll hike inside a huge bamboo forest at Oheo Gulch and emerge to see a stunning waterfall…

We’ll visit the black sand beach at Wai’anapanapa State Park

We’ll hike at the Waihee Ridge Trail and see the dramatic valleys of West Maui

We’ll drive the world famous Road To Hana with its lush rainforest and hundreds of waterfalls…

We’ll come away from this tour with deeper hearts, a connection to nature, a connection to humanity, and many new friends…all part of what Hawaiians call Aloha…

This should give you a better idea of why I would like LAYO to tour Maui. We don’t have the cost at this point, but it will be around the same price as our last two tours, somewhere between $4,000-5,000 per person which will include all the lodging, tours, performances, meals, etc. If we have 50 students sign up, we’ll do it!