YEAR

2023

 

INSTRUMENTATION

String Orchestra

 

DURATION

5 minutes

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MOVEMENTS

I. The Hill of Long Life

II. Piko (Circles and Dots)

 

COMMISSIONED BY:

Fort Zumwalt North Orchestra Boosters

 

FIRST PERFORMANCE:

May 4, 2023

Fort Zumwalt North Orchestra,

Jenina Kenessey, conductor

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PROGRAM NOTE

Puʻuloa translates from Hawaiian as "long hill." Located on thesouthern flank of Kīlauea volcano on Hawaiʻi Island, it is sacredto the people of Hawai'i. Puʻuloa contains a vast area covered withancient Hawaiian images (petroglyphs) carved into hardenedlava.Over 23,000 petroglyph images with motifs consisting of holes,motifs of circles, and other geometric patterns accompany crypticdesigns, anthropomorphic figures, and canoe sails.Puʻuloa's name describes the volcano flank, but its hiddenmeaning (kaona) is interpreted as a "Hill of Long Life." Uponbirth, families placed their child's piko (umbilical stump), into apecked depression, in hopes spiritual energy of the ancestorsblessed the child with a long and prosperous life. Piko, as thenavel, can be interpreted as the origin, the beginning of life.These two movements, inspired by the volcanic petroglyphs,express the mystic and reverent qualities of Puʻuloa in the first movement and the geometric and ancient Hawaiian designs in the second movement.

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PERFORMANCE HISTORY

05/04/2023: Fort Zumwalt North Orchestra, Jenina Kenessey, conductor; O'Fallon, MO