It’s one of New York’s oldest jokes: A lost and confused pedestrian somewhere on the streets of Manhattan stops another and asks, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” The man who is questioned thinks for a moment and replies, “Practice, practice, practice!”
It’s true–Carnegie Hall is both a place and an achievement. It is one of the most iconic centers for the performing arts, and ever since Tchaikovsky conducted its inaugural concert in 1891, it has stood as a symbol of artistic excellence. A performance at Carnegie Hall isn’t just an event; it’s a moment of arrival, a testament to countless hours of dedication, resilience, and, yes—practice.
For Dr. Erica Glenn and the members of the Hoʻolōkahi Chamber Choir from Brigham Young University–Hawaii, this moment represents far more than technical achievement. When Dr. Glenn began composing her Worldwide Requiem, she didn’t imagine that voices from across the Pacific and beyond that quite literally helped shape every note and syllable would debut the piece at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall.
On May 11, 2025, the choir—made up of 54 culturally diverse students, many of whom have lived through the very disasters this piece honors—will perform the world premiere of Dr. Glenn’s 25-minute, seven-movement work, blending Latin with six other languages and paying homage to tragedies in Lahaina (Maui), Ukraine, Tonga, Palestine, the Philippines, and Japan.
A Sacred Beginning
Dr. Glenn emphasized the deep emotional investment of the students, many of whom contributed their voices, languages, and personal histories to Worldwide Requiem.
It was no longer just a composition—it was a collective prayer, woven from lived experiences.
Image courtesy of BYU–Hawaii Communications
One defining aspect that sets the Worldwide Requiem apart from other pieces being performed is not just its ambition or musical beauty, but the fact that many of the choir members lived through the very tragedies that form the movements of the requiem.
Mitzi Chou, a BYU–Hawaii student who survived Super Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, Philippines, helped translate part of the Latin text into her native Waray, creating an authentic emotional bridge.
“It felt like offering a prayer from the heart of our people—a sacred act of remembrance and love,” Mitzi shares.
Others contributed translations and reflections, creating a tapestry of languages including Ukrainian, Tongan, Arabic, Japanese, and Hawaiian—marking this as the first requiem in the MidAmerica Productions series performed in such a range of non-Western languages.
Another unique aspect is that during the performance, students will wear formal regional attire from their home countries instead of traditional concert black, creating a visual celebration of global unity.
The process of preparing the requiem is intentionally educational and transformative: students have been trained not just musically, but spiritually—to carry the cultural and emotional weight of the piece.
A Multisensory Tribute
As the music builds to its final movement—focused on the 2023 Lahaina fires—a Hawaii-born choir member will dance hula onstage, barefoot and graceful, while placing hand-woven leis at the foot of the stage.
The leis, each made from plants symbolically tied to the honored countries, were thoughtfully researched by student Heva Walker, resulting in a six-page document aligning Hawaiian plants to each nation’s story.
“At the end, I had this visual of her coming up and picking up each of the leis individually and putting them on to symbolize unity and rebirth,” says Dr. Glenn.
This layered storytelling—combining song, dance, language, and ritual—creates an experience where music and movement become inseparable, much like in many native cultures.
From Laie to the World Stage
The Ho‘olōkahi Chamber Choir reflects the global vision of BYU–Hawaii. With students from more than 60 countries, the campus is a vibrant microcosm of the Pacific and Asia. Many of the choir members participate in BYU–Hawaii’s work-study program at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), which has made higher education accessible for decades.
Image courtesy of BYU–Hawaii Communications
At Carnegie Hall, the BYUH choir will be joined by professional opera soloists and Utah-based ensembles Voices of ‘Ohana and Timpanogos Singers. Together, they will form a remarkable chorus that merges academic, professional, and spiritual artistry.
As the concert date approaches, excitement builds—but so does a quiet sense of responsibility.
This performance represents an historic moment: it is the first time a BYU–Hawaii conductor has led the school’s choir at Carnegie Hall as a featured guest conductor, rather than singing under another’s baton.
In a world of chaos and division, the Worldwide Requiem offers a gentle but urgent invitation: to remember, to connect, and to heal—together.
“I don’t want people to walk away just thinking, ‘Oh, that was a great performance.’ I want them to be deeply moved,” Dr. Glenn says. “My hope is that our audience and our singers will walk away being inspired to harness the redemptive and unifying power of the arts. This is just profoundly inspiring… creating the future worldwide leaders of the Church, and they’re learning in such deep and meaningful ways about each other’s cultures.”
Image courtesy of BYU–Hawaii Communications
The Ho‘olōkahi Chamber Choir will perform the Worldwide Requiem at Carnegie Hall on May 11, 2025, at 8:30 p.m. EDT. Tickets are available by clicking HERE.
