Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra presents In C

Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra presents
In C
Saturday, May 2, 2026
7:00 p.m.* & 8:30 p.m.
Two Performances Only

Hawaiian Hall

$35 General Admission

*The 7:00 p.m. performance begins with a special pre-show discussion in the Gulab & Indru Watumull Atrium moderated by the HSO Susan Kosasa Composer in Residence Dr. Michael-Thomas Foumai.

Immerse yourself in Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Terry Riley’s “In C” amidst the grandeur of historic Hawaiian Hall. Riley’s 1964 composition, a seminal example of minimalism and one of the most celebrated works by an American composer, features an open-ended score that invites any number of musicians to intuitively repeat and layer a series of 53 melodic modules, ensuring that no two performances are ever the same.

Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra juxtaposes Riley’s modern classic against the mea kupuna of Hawaiian Hall, sectioned by floor into three realms. The string section welcomes guests to Kai Ākea, the realm of the moʻolelo of pre-contact Hawaiʻi. Meanwhile, the kāhea of the woodwind section rings from Wao Kanaka, the realm that celebrates the importance of the land and nature in daily life. Simultaneously, the brass section beckons from Wao Lani, the realm dedicated to the aliʻi and akua in the context of key moments in modern Hawaiian history. Guests are invited to freely stroll through these realms, guided by the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra’s talented musicians.

Each of the song’s 53 modules is a short musical phrase, bracketed by repeat signs without a time signature. Riley indicates no tempo, instrumentation, or dynamics. The modules vary widely in character, from drones to running motifs. Upon hearing the premiere of “In C,” music critic Alfred Frankenstein remarked that Riley had developed “a style like that of no one else on earth,” accurately predicting that the composer “is bound to make a profound impression with it.”

Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra (HSO) is the premier provider of live symphonic music in the Pacific. Performing at the historic Hawaii Theatre Center and Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall, HSO features award-winning musicians who bring a distinctive voice to a dynamic and diverse repertoire. With more than thirty concerts annually — including the Halekulani Masterworks Series, HapaSymphony, Films in Concert, and Sheraton Summer Festival — the HSO reaches over 35,000 audience members and 3,000 students annually through its performances and educational programs. HSO is deeply committed to enriching lives by offering a uniquely local perspective on world-class music.

Photo courtesy of Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra.