Maui County teenagers who love to sing, whether they have ever stood on a stage or not, now have a new option close to home. Imua Family Services is assembling 100 Voices, a choir for youth ages 11 to 18 that organizers describe as the island's first community-based youth choir, with no tryouts required and no experience necessary to join.
The program is open to singers of every background and skill level, according to Maui Now, which reported that organizers want the choir to feel accessible rather than exclusive. Imua Family Services said the program is built to be fun and lively, with music chosen to get people moving and singing along, not just listening. Applications are open until Feb. 28, 2027, with rehearsals set to begin that March.
A Sound Closer to Glee Than a Chamber Choir
Rather than modeling 100 Voices after a traditional, formal chamber choir, organizers say the group's sound and spirit draw more from the television show Glee. That comparison, noted in the Maui Now report, signals a choir built around energy and group participation rather than polished precision alone. Singers who complete the program will also earn 20 hours of community service, giving the experience a civic dimension alongside the musical one.
For performances, participants are asked to wear black pants or a black skirt paired with black shoes, a simple uniform meant to keep the focus on the group rather than individual outfits. The choir's debut is scheduled for Imua Family Services' 80th anniversary gala on April 17, 2027, tying the new youth program directly to a milestone year for the organization.
Meet the Musical Director
Julia Golding will lead 100 Voices as its musical director, bringing a résumé that spans continents and decades of choral work. She has sung in choirs since age 7 and has toured internationally across Europe, the United States and South Korea, per the same account. Golding holds a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Education from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
Her teaching and choir leadership background includes serving as choir director at St. Clement's Episcopal Church in Honolulu and as choir director and chapel pianist at St. Luke's Episcopal School in Baton Rouge. On Maui, Golding currently teaches band at Seabury Hall.
Why the Timing Matters for Imua
Imua Family Services will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2027, and launching a youth choir in the lead-up to that milestone was a deliberate choice. Dean Wong, chief executive officer of Imua Family Services, said including youth voices makes the organization's 80th anniversary celebration special, according to Maui Now's reporting.
Programs built around no-audition access are not unique to Maui. The Hawaiʻi Youth Opera Chorus, which describes itself as Hawaiʻi's oldest and most advanced community youth choir for boys and girls in grades K-12, similarly tells prospective members that no previous skill is necessary and that it welcomes novice through advanced singers, according to Hawaiʻi Public Radio. That chorus says it has trained young singers in Hawaiʻi for more than 60 years, offering a long-running model for the kind of open, community-rooted choir Imua is now bringing to Maui.
Families interested in 100 Voices can complete an application as part of the enrollment process. The debut performance next spring will mark the first time the full group takes the stage together, timed to coincide with Imua Family Services' 80th anniversary celebration.
