Lahaina is getting a symphonic homecoming. The Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra is heading back to Maui for a free, under-the-stars concert, Mele for Maui, on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows. The 64-piece orchestra will team up with a lineup of celebrated Hawaiian musicians for an evening of music, cultural celebration and a local artisan mākeke.
According to Maui Now, the event is part of HSO’s 15th-anniversary season and marks the full orchestra’s first return to the neighbor islands in roughly a decade. Maui Now reports the concert will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m., with gates and the mākeke opening earlier in the day, and lists presenting sponsors as Royal Lahaina, Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaiian Council and Hawaii News Now, with additional support from a Grant-in-Aid from the State Legislature.
Who's on stage
As listed on the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra event page, Mele for Maui pairs HSO with Amy Hānaiali‘i, Raiatea Helm, Keola Beamer, John Cruz, Jeff Peterson and Kalaʻe Camarillo, among others. The program features music by Dr. Michael-Thomas Foumai and will include the world premiere of “Rain Shadow” by Sean Hickey, with Music & Artistic Director Dane Lam conducting the 64-musician ensemble.
Logistics and broadcast
Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows notes that the stage will sit at the south end of the property and seating will be on the adjacent Kāʻanapali Golf Course, with public admission on a first-come, first-served basis. The resort states that gates and the mākeke will open at 4 p.m. Royal Lahaina also points out that parking at the resort is reserved for registered guests, recommends shuttle, trolley or ride-share options, and adds that the concert will be livestreamed and televised on Hawaii News Now and broadcast on K5 and major streaming TV platforms.
Organizers are framing Mele for Maui as both a celebration and a gesture of support for communities still recovering from the 2023 Lahaina wildfires. Maui Now quotes Highgate Hawai‘i’s Kelly Sanders saying the evening is meant to bring people together “with the intention of honor, reflection and celebration,” with the night designed to center local artists and stories in the island’s ongoing healing.
For event FAQs, travel guidance and seating details, see Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, and for program notes and HSO background visit the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra event page. Organizers emphasize that the concert is free and open to the public, with no registration required.
