Na Leo Nahenahe (Sweet Voices) was founded in 1999 by artistic director John Lehrack.
The purpose of the group is to promote and preserve Hawaiian language, culture and song through choral music.
The chorus annually presents concerts to the San Francisco community and has performed in such places as the annual Aloha Festival, the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival and Bethany United Methodist Church (the group's rehearsal home). The chorus has also performed with Hawaiian artists such as Patrick Landeza, Kawika Alfiche, Steven Espaniola, Pili Moreno and Pulama.
Current plans for the group include a tour and performances in Hawai'i and a professional CD recording.
Membership is open to anyone with a sense of aloha, a love for Hawaii and it's music and the ability to regularly attend rehearsals. Rehearsals are each Monday evening from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at Bethany United Methodist Church, located at 1268 Sanchez St. at Clipper in San Francisco. Membership dues are $25 per month. While the ability to read music is helpful is not a necessary requirement to join the group. Prospective members are welcome to come to any rehearsal.
The members of the chorus span many generations and ethnicities. For some members, this is their first experience singing with a chorus. Others have performed professionaly and most fall somewhere in between.
The music sung by the chorus is primarily a capella (unaccompanied) but we ocassionally add guitar, ukulele, bass or piano. Approximately 95% of the music is sung in Hawaiian with the remainder in English. The music covers a broad spectrum from classic standards of the Lili'uokalani era to more contemporary works.
