Conductor
Hilo, Hawai'i
comments
"During our organization’s recent transition, Ken exhibited unusual leadership abilities. If he had not personally put in many hours of mundane administrative work as well as hours inspiring and encouraging volunteers, we would likely not be in existence today. He carefully guided us through reorganization and now we are again a viable arts organization. He was quite sensitive to the precarious financial nature of our new organization and has been flexible to adjust concert plans to fit with our budget constraints.
... He clearly has excellent people and communication skills and knows how to manage personnel. His unique combination of skills as an administrator and artistic director of not only choral but also symphonic orchestras makes him a remarkable individual.
... We look forward to rehearsing with Ken because he is able to make the session fun with sensitive humor and because he respects the precious rehearsal time we have. He has a magnetism that creates within the chorus a desire to sing our best and please our maestro.
... Ken loves music and pours himself into making music. He pours himself into work. He is tireless."John D. Stover, DDS, MD, PhD
"His rehearsals are always structured so that time is maximized. He examines and understands both the diverse needs of the ensemble, the technical demands of the repertoire, and then methodically and meticulously creates his rehearsal plan. After each rehearsal, he re-examines, evaluates and plans once again so that subsequent rehearsals are structured for ensemble successes. It is this understanding and skill that consistently produces the finest ….. presentations.
... Throughout the years as a conductor, Ken has been committed to presenting new compositions to audiences. This is an exciting concept that few conductors would attempt especially in smaller, diverse communities such as our local audiences. As a composer, I, along with other local writers, have been privileged to have Ken premiere our works. There are no other opportunities on this island for this kind of programming. Ken gets excited about encouraging, commissioning and programming new music. In his tenure as a professional conductor of local choirs and orchestras, he has presented well over a dozen world and Hawaiÿi premieres of new compositions."Michael Springer
Choral Director
Kamehameha School
Big Island
"I want to tell you that I thought your performance of the Jenkins Requiem last Saturday night was OUTSTANDING. Your interpretation of the two sections which I must admit were previously offensive to me, even though I am and have been very impressed with the overall work, made them very acceptable to me. You made the two sections in question (Dies Irae and Rex Tremendae) quite compatible with the entire work, in my opinion. I think the outstanding percussion work under your direction was the principal reason it came across so well."
Aloha nui loa,
Richard Helmick
“……… I knew at the beginning that the orchestra was in good hands as soon as you mounted the podium and began to conduct. You have the stance, the style and the demeanor I consider ideal in a conductor, which along with your outstanding musical abilities, made you a part of the orchestra rather than a distraction as has been the case with so many conductors I have sung and played under. The orchestra is most fortunate to have you as their director and you deserve high praise.”
Jim Paulsen
... This program fully lived up to the conductor's advance billing. ... The players and singers were disciplined and on the money, from the small orchestra in the initial part of the program to the stage-filled orchestra and chorus for the requiem.
... the excellence of this performance could not have been the product of mere happenstance. Much joyous work, the love of doing something well, the merging of self into a magnificent whole, went into the making of this performance."
Jao Ottinger
