Fifth
generation slack-key guitarist and Ukulele player and teacher,
KEOKI KAHUMOKU began performing with his father, George Kahumoku,
Jr., and his uncle, Moses Kahumoku, in 1990 at the
Mauna Kea Beach
Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii. In 1992, Keoki and his family
moved to the Island of Maui, to perform at the Westin Maui in Ka'anapali.
The wonderful Hawaiian meles he performed spawned a vision in Keoki
-- reach and teach the keiki o ka aina; preserve this rich heritage.
So Keoki began by teaching ukulele, starting with informal lessons,
then progressing to ukulele and slack key guitar workshops and
formal lessons throughout the State of Hawaii and the mainland.
Keoki has taught at various educational institutions, including the Queen Liliuokalani
Children Center, Maui Community College -- PACE Program, King Kekaulike High
School, Haleakala Waldorf School, Kapalua Art School, Na'alehu Theater, Kona's
Historic Donkey Mill Art Center, and The University of Hawaii at Hilo -- College
of Continuing Education and Community Service and Senior College classes; and
currently continues to teach private lessons from his home in Hilo on the Big
Island.
Keoki's vision of preserving the musical tradition through teaching can reach
a wider audience now, with his just-released instructional DVD's, INTRODUCTION
TO HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY GUITAR, and his new DVD...( Beginning Ukulele! ) On both
of these beginning DVD's Keoki takes the students on a wonderful journey through
his in unique way of teaching. After showing how to tune the guitar or Ukulele
he starts out showing all the different chord positions, strums, Hawaiian turn-arounds,
(Vamps) and progressions. In a short while the student will be able to start
strumming along with him. The DVD footage is shot so the student can see his
fingers up close and with two screens to view both hands. Also the names of the
chords are shown as the footage progresses along.
