Hawaii Contrabass Festival

About

In 1994 Hawaii contrabassist and veteran music educator George Wellington, Sr. attended a conference of the American String Teachers Association in Lyon, France where he met contrabass virtuoso François Rabbath and was introduced to the revolutionary teaching method, A New Technique for the Contrabass.

In 2000, Rabbath agreed to come to Hawai’i to teach a Masterclass under the auspices of the Hawaii American String Teachers Association with National School Orchestra Association (HASTA/NSOA) The Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL was born when 10 prominent artist/educators volunteered to join Rabbath at their own expense to offer a nine-day series of classes and performances.

The first Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL attracted 35 participants, including 2 from the mainland and one from Paris. News of the event quickly circled the globe and despite the dire repercussions of the September 11 tragedy, 2002 enrollment nearly doubled, including participants from the 5 continents.

Substantial monetary and in-kind support from Hawai’i and abroad made it possible to offer a much richer program in 2002, including several very well attended admission-free events. The festival’s positive effect on the Hawai’i community cannot be overstated. Specifically, the event stimulated enormous community sharing, and interest and appreciation for the contrabass have skyrocketed, confirming HASTA/NSOA’S belief that the Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL fulfills important needs in our ‘ohana.

The Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL has continued to grow in 2004 and 2006. A healthy scholarship fund provides merit stipends and financial aid, thus maximizing opportunities for participation in this and other enrichment programs for contrabass students.

Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL GOALS

The Hawaii Contrabass Festival aims to:

Promote and preserve cultural vitality for all of Hawaii’s people with special focus on youth in formative years (ages 8-18).

Provide a forum for intercultural exchange and friendship.

Instill the values of lifetime learning, commitment, cooperation and reciprocation as mainstays of cultural continuity.

Provide education and enrichment for a broad range of beneficiaries in a fun and festive framework.

Generate widespread recognition of the Hawai’i Community as a center for excellence in arts education and performance.

Increase awareness of the function and importance of the contrabass both historically and in contemporary life.

Build a dependable source of example, incentive and means for Hawaii’s youth to pursue careers involving the contrabass and sustain its important legacy.

Encourage interaction and pooling of knowledge between the various disciplines involving and related to the contrabass.

Develop new opportunities for community support of cultural activities for youth.

About In 1994 Hawaii contrabassist and veteran music educator George Wellington, Sr. attended a conference of the American String Teachers Association in Lyon, France where he met contrabass virtuoso François Rabbath and was introduced to the revolutionary teaching method, A New Technique for the Contrabass.
In 2000, Rabbath agreed to come to Hawai’i to teach a Masterclass under the auspices of the Hawaii American String Teachers Association with National School Orchestra Association (HASTA/NSOA) The Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL was born when 10 prominent artist/educators volunteered to join Rabbath at their own expense to offer a nine-day series of classes and performances. The first Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL attracted 35 participants, including 2 from the mainland and one from Paris. News of the event quickly circled the globe and despite the dire repercussions of the September 11 tragedy, 2002 enrollment nearly doubled, including participants from the 5 continents.
Substantial monetary and in-kind support from Hawai’i and abroad made it possible to offer a much richer program in 2002, including several very well attended admission-free events. The festival’s positive effect on the Hawai’i community cannot be overstated. Specifically, the event stimulated enormous community sharing, and interest and appreciation for the contrabass have skyrocketed, confirming HASTA/NSOA’S belief that the Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL fulfills important needs in our ‘ohana. The Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL has continued to grow in 2004 and 2006. A healthy scholarship fund provides merit stipends and financial aid, thus maximizing opportunities for participation in this and other enrichment programs for contrabass students. Hawaii CONTRABASS FESTIVAL GOALS The Hawaii Contrabass Festival aims to: Promote and preserve cultural vitality for all of Hawaii’s people with special focus on youth in formative years (ages 8-18). Provide a forum for intercultural exchange and friendship. Instill the values of lifetime learning, commitment, cooperation and reciprocation as mainstays of cultural continuity. Provide education and enrichment for a broad range of beneficiaries in a fun and festive framework. Generate widespread recognition of the Hawai’i Community as a center for excellence in arts education and performance. Increase awareness of the function and importance of the contrabass both historically and in contemporary life. Build a dependable source of example, incentive and means for Hawaii’s youth to pursue careers involving the contrabass and sustain its important legacy. Encourage interaction and pooling of knowledge between the various disciplines involving and related to the contrabass. Develop new opportunities for community support of cultural activities for youth.