Hello Pride of Portland Chorus & Kay MacDierney, Thank you so much for the opportunity
to learn this beautiful arrangement of "Aloha Oe".

I have been a member of two choruses in Region 16 over the past 10 years. Because of
travelling extensively now, I am no longer singing in a chorus but continue to support
Sweet Adelines as a Member-at-large.

I first read about this arrangement in the June "SingEzine". Since my husband and I are
going to International in Hawaii, we immediately took up the challenge to learn this song.
We thought it would be fun to sing it this summer with friends at our cottage, which is
on a 1.6 acre island in the Gronkwa Island group, in the beautiful 30,000 islands on the
eastern shores of Georgian Bay in Lake Huron near Pointe au Baril, Ontario, Canada.

One of our island friends, Wendy, is a Sweet Adeline with Heart of Missouri Chorus in
Region 5. Wendy normally sings baritone in her chorus and in a quartet, but learned
tenor for this particular "quartet". She encouraged another island friend, Sarah, to
learn the baritone part as that was the range in which she was most comfortable.
Sarah lives near Atlanta, Georgia and was so thrilled with learning this song that
she is eager to find a chorus and join Sweet Adelines when she returns home in
September. I normally sing lead, and my husband Reid learned the bass part with
octave changes in a couple of places. Here is a picture of "Gronk and the
Gronkwettes" (a fun name after our island neighbourhood, "Gronkwa Islands".)
We performed admirably at several music nights, aka "Hootenannys", for our island
friends (gatherings of 30-40 people).

From the Gronkwa Islands to the Hawaiian Islands.... Aloha!

Margaret Wilson,
Uxbridge, Ontario Canada

I think your arrangement of one of my
favorite songs is simply beautiful. Thank
you so much for sharing it with us, Kay.
Unfortunately, I will not be there to sing it
with you, but my heart will be.
Aloha, Diane

Note: Diane sings lead with Liberty Oak
Chorus in Freehold, NJ (Region 15), along
with her daughter Deborah, under the
direction of Katie Blackwood. Their goal
is to sing in the family chorus some day--
maybe in 2013 in Honolulu!
She read about this arrangement in the
International Chapter Connection newsletter.

Alamo Metro Chorus will be competing in
Hawaii as contestant #9.

We thank you so much for the gift of
Aloha Oe'. We will be learning this song
for our show on September 20 which is
entitled "Aloha! Texas Style". We are
excited about learning the song and can't
wait to perform it for our friends and
family. AMC says thank you.

Cinda Crews
President, Alamo Metro Chorus,
San Antonio, TX

Dearest Pride of Portland Friends.

Thank you SO MUCH for the incredible
song.learning tracks.etc.!!! You are
WONDERFUL for doing this!!!

Hearing this song brought tears to
my eyes. and I'm sincerely hopeful
that each and every person going to
Hawaii will learn this music!

Imagine 9,000+ of us singing this.
TOGETHER! Your vision in creating
these files and sharing them will all
is incredible!!

Can't wait to do it!
Thank you so much!!!

In harmony and appreciation,

Diane Porsch
Buffalo Gateway Chorus
Contestant Number 33
Hawaii Convention

Hi

My name is Ally Law, I am Director of a
prospective Chorus in Derbyshire,England
but will also be competing in Hawaii with
Phoenix from Region 31.

This arrangement is pure beauty and I
keep 'filling up' every time I imagine singing
it with everyone at International. It really
will unite all and a wonderful way.

I would like my Chorus to learn it if that's
OK? I know they will love singing it and
even though they will only be with me via
the webcast, knowing they have learned
this song will bring them that bit closer
to me in Hawaii.

Please let me know if this is OK.
Many thanks

Ally Law
Director of Prospective DaleDiva
Chorus and member of PHOENIX
Region 31

Dear Ally,
Our goal is to have everyone singing
this song in Honolulu this November,
you do not need to ask for permission -
it's been freely given - we just want to
know that you love this song as much
as we do.

Hello Pride of Portland Chorus,

Thank you so much for this wonderful
gift of song. Our chorus was looking
for an arrangement of Aloha Oe for our
upcoming show. I put a request for help
out on the SING group and was quickly
directed to your site.

This is perfect for our show, AND those
of us that are going to Hawaii will be
ready to sing it with our sisters from
all over the world.

Thank you again for such a
generous gift!

Susan Brown
Windsong Chorus
Sterling, CO
Rocky Mountain Region 8
Home of Skyline Chorus,
Radiance Quartet, Impulse Quartet,
Synergy Quartet and
Utah Flair Quartet
- all competing in Hawaii!!!!!

Having lived in Hawai'i for 25 years,
and being moved every time this song
was sung, I can't thank you enough
for making this available to the
Sweet Adeline world!

I fully expect Susan Kegley to eagerly
add this to our repertoire for Honolulu.
I've sent the site info to our newsletter
editor for inclusion so we can get started.
Hey, if no one else learns it, the
neighborhood of sections where our
two choruses are sitting will blow the
socks off everyone else!

We are SO looking forward to
sharing more time with our NW
sisters in the Islands!

Susan Soderberg
Pacific Sound Chorus
Seattle, WA
Region 13

Re: Aloha'oe pronunciation
Aloha Sweet Adeline Mele Wahine
and Kâne,

Aloha kakahiaka! Good Morning!
Aloha `auinalâ! Good Afternoon!
Aloha ahiahi! Good Evening!

The Pride of Portland Chorus does have
a wonderful arrangement of Aloha’oe
and I look forward to hearing this
beautiful mele sung at International.

This song has such deep spiritual and
Aloha meaning for the peoples of Hawai’I.
Each time I sing this mele or hula to
it, I am taken home to my island and
the Aloha spirit. To me the Hawaiian
language is the most beautiful language
in the world, but of course I am bias.

The Hawaiian language only has 12 letters,
but its phases tell a story of love, passion,
strength, and beauty. The vowels are the
important part of the word, the consonants
are just fillers. It is important that each
vowel is pronounced correctly or it will
change the meaning of the word.

On the Aloha 'Oe website, Kay MacDierney
points out that there is an error on the
learning tape in the pronunciation of
Aloha’oe, but I just wanted to point this
out again in case people did not see the
correction.

Note: that on the tape the ‘oe is
pronounced "oy" like the Aussie Oy Oy Oy,
the correct pronunciation is ‘oh-eh

Also, here is a YouTube link - Amy
Hanaiali`i, which should help with
pronunciations, of course the
arrangement is different, but you
will get the vowel placement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wP-4ZV8sv0

Mahalo for learning this beautiful mele and
I look forward to seeing you all in Hawai’i.
Aloha a hui hou,
Leilani Nalua’i Russell
kapuna@comcast.net
Pride of Portland Chorus
Region 24

Dear SweetAdelines,
I enjoy recieving the news letter,
and the Music from Hawaii.
Thanks,
Barbara
from the Sisters In Song

Aloha!! Again I say “aloha!”

I want to share with you a few brief descriptions of the word "Aloha” and why we picked it to be the focus of our theme for Region 24's 2008 regional convention, "Aloha Vancouver."

Aloha is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation, it means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return; “aloha” is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. "Aloha" means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen, and to know the unknowable.

I think “aloha” captures the essence of what we love about Sweet Adelines, the love of the music – but more importantly the sisterhood. We come together in song to love and support each other during triumphs and times of need, we ask or expect nothing in return, we are there because we are bound together.

Now as we look forward to Honolulu, we wish each of you a very special time, as you experience Hawaii, as you renew old friendships, make some new ones, and “take in” as much of the week’s activities as you possibly can. .... and remember to say “aloha” to everyone!

Aloha!
Judy Galloway
Aloha 'Oe webmaster

WRITE US!
We'd like to hear from you!
If you are learning Aloha`Oe please send us a picture along with the
name, location, and a sentence or two about your chorus and/or quartet.
We will be posting them on this website.

We look forward to meeting and singing Aloha`Oe with each and every one of you in November.

Contact Us