Abstract
The last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, Queen Liliʻuokalani was also an avid composer of Hawaiian choral music. Her vast output places her as the most influential Native Hawaiian composer of the nineteenth century as well as a crucial figure in the development of Hawaiian choral music. Utilizing the history and repertoire of Lili’uokalani as a framework, this essay presents a guide for conductors of nineteenth century Hawaiian choral music in idiomatic performance issues specific to the repertoire, including diction, choral tone, instrumentation, and Native Hawaiian performance ritual. Because the performance practices of Liliʻuokalani’s music continue to evolve as a living practice, this essay synthesizes the Queen’s historical writings on these points with current perspectives from four living contemporary conductors and Native Hawaiian scholars. Finally, the essay presents audio examples of these practices, performed by Native Hawaiian choral ensembles.