Community group explores reviving Honolulu Symphony

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From the Honolulu Star-Advertiser

A group of prominent business and civic leaders has formed a committee aimed at returning the bankrupt Honolulu Symphony to the concert stage. Led by Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Oz Stender, the group, informally named the Symphony Exploratory Committee, has asked Steve Monder, retired president of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and JoAnn Falletta, acclaimed conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, to develop a business model for the symphony. The group also filed for nonprofit status.

"It would be a shame if Hawaii does not have a world-class symphony," Stender said. "We're the crossroads of the Pacific, and culturally we'd be starving if we didn't have a symphony. ... And I think the youth would really suffer."

Other committee members were identified as former Hawaii first lady Vicky Cayetano, a former symphony board member; Paul Kosasa, president of ABC Stores; Mark Polivka, president of Monarch Insurance; attorney Ken Robbins; Mona Abadir, chief executive officer of Honu Group; Mitch D'Olier, president of Kaneohe Ranch Co.; Gabe Lee, executive vice president of American Savings Bank; and Barron Guss, president of ALTRES Corp. Click here to read more.