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Musicians, business and community leaders push House Finance to adopt bill to designate and fund Hawaii Symphony Orchestra
Summary
Dozens of musicians, board members and community volunteers urged the House Committee on Finance to pass SB441, which would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state symphony and provide appropriations to expand education, neighbor‑island access and operations.
Musicians, board members, business leaders and community volunteers told the House Committee on Finance that SB441 would secure steady state support for the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra’s educational and outreach work across the islands.
Dane Lam, music and artistic director of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, said the orchestra provides free concerts, school programs and live-streamed performances that benefit students, kupuna and the local arts economy. “We perform masterwork series. We go into schools. We do side by side concerts,” Lam said, and characterized a stable funding stream as “transformative” for the organization’s long-term planning.
Musicians and longtime volunteers described the orchestra’s role in education and community cohesion. Anna Lenhart, principal horn, described traveling to the Big Island for multiple concerts in a single day and meeting students who asked when the full orchestra would return. “Investing in the symphony gives us musicians the ability to invest back in Hawaii because we want to stay here,” Lenhart said. Tim Leong, a 44‑year musician with the Hawaii Symphony, said the ensemble has sustained local music education and mentorship for generations.
Support came from business and nonprofit leaders as well: Paul Kusasa, president and CEO of ABC Stores and chair of the HSO board, and Randy Wong of Hawaii Youth Symphony emphasized the orchestra’s partnerships with schools and its role in building career pathways in the arts. Testimony included examples of neighborhood concerts, kupuna outreach, and large family-friendly events that drew diverse audiences.
Lawmakers pressed HSO leadership on finances and long-term sustainability. The orchestra’s representatives said the Honolulu Symphony Foundation’s endowment is managed separately and currently generates about $500,000 annually; HSO’s operating budget is roughly $6 million a year. HSO leaders said ticket revenue covers about 25–30% of the budget, grants about 10%, and the remainder comes from philanthropy. Chairman and members discussed whether the orchestra could participate in the annual GIA process; HSO leaders said they would “do whatever it takes” but argued the bill’s exemption would allow broader, more stable support and neighbor‑island expansion.
The committee adopted the recommendation to pass SB441 as presented during decision-making.
