Open Stage Features Worldwide Talent

August 21, 2018 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

The 2018 Hawai'i Island Steel Guitar Festival's Open Stage will feature steel guitarists and steel guitar bands from Hawai'i, California, and Japan. The almost four-hour program will be presented on Saturday, September 8, 2018, beginning at 10:30 A.M. in the ballroom of the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows.

Hawai'i Island performers include Daniel Toft and the group Kekahuaonaleo. Honolulu performers include Larry and Shirley Holu and Next Generation steel guitarists and musicians from Ke Kula Mele School of Hawaiian Music. Dr. Kris Oka joins the group from San Francisco, California, and Japanese artists Hideki Hattori and Shuji and Noriko Tomita from Tokyo will also perform. This year's open stage features both first-time performers and artists who have appeared previously on open stage programs at this and other festivals.

From the 2017 Festival Open Stage

Daniel Toft . PC-Don Touchi.

From the 2017 Festival Open Stage

Dr. Kris Oka. PC-Don Touchi.

The open stage provides opportunities for artists to present a musical program to festival guests while developing performance confidence and perfecting their playing skills. As with the main program performances, all open stage programs include a steel guitar, either as a featured instrument or as an instrument supporting a vocalist or group.

The open stage can provide a "jumping off" point for steel guitarists transitioning to professional performance status. Dave "DK" Kolars and Alexis Tolentino made their initial appearances in festival Open Stage programs several years ago and now perform professionally. Both will appear in the festival's main Ho'olaule'a programs.

Additional information about the Hawai'i Island Steel Guitar Festival is on the festival website.

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