Maui Pops Awards $5K to Four Young Musicians

Four young musicians from Maui just got a powerful boost toward their dreams, thanks to scholarships from the Maui Pops Orchestra that prove investing in local talent creates lasting change.

Avery Mirabelle Springer Pendergraft, a Kamehameha Schools Maui sophomore, received $1,000 to pursue her passion for cello. "I feel like it's my voice, and when I play the cello, I feel like I can communicate with the world better," she explained.

The cellist plays with both the Maui Youth Philharmonic and Hawaii Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra. She plans to attend the Tokyo University of Arts, eventually becoming both a professional orchestra performer and music educator.

Fellow Kamehameha graduate Lily Kawehi Gouveia also won $1,000, marking a special milestone in her musical journey. "I felt really proud of this one because the scholarships I have gotten were for academics," she said. "They weren't for music, so I felt like this was more special."

Gouveia is studying liberal arts at University of Hawaii Maui College while pursuing music composition online through Berklee College of Music. The multi-instrumentalist who plays ukulele, guitar, drums, and Bolivian charango dreams of returning to Kamehameha as a music teacher.

Maui High School student Kristine Mary Tabbada was shocked to receive $1,000 as a sophomore. "When me and Avery got it, I felt so lucky because we're both sophomores," she said, noting that awards typically went to seniors in previous years.

Tabbada performs with the Maui Youth Philharmonic and Maui Community Orchestra, playing piano and violin while singing in her school's choir. She hopes to attend Columbia University and eventually share her musical passion with the world.

Baldwin High School graduate Matthew Noel Torres Yagin received the largest award at $2,000. Now studying classical saxophone and music education at University of Hawaii at Manoa, he plans to return home to teach.

The Ripple Effect

Since 2014, the Maui Pops Orchestra has awarded $50,000 in scholarships to young musicians across the island. These investments don't just fund education; they ensure Maui's next generation of music teachers and performers will inspire countless others.

The awards typically get presented at the orchestra's season finale concert, though this year's stormy weather postponed that celebration. What can't be postponed is the impact these four students will have on their community as they transform their musical gifts into careers that uplift others.