Makana (b.1979)

Dance of the Red Poppies (2009), 3.5 minutes

Arranged by Theresa McCreary

The work is scored for flute, clarinet, bassoon, 3 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, strings and guitar.

Dance of the Red Poppies was first recorded and released as part of the album Venus, and the Sky Turns to Clay: The Instrumental World of Makana. The album showcases Makana’s vast palette of slack key guitar styles and is an all-instrumental, all-original solo guitar collection. From the heartfelt “Will I Ever See You Again?” to the instantly recognizable “Napo’o Ka Lā”, Makana exhibits his creativity and diversity in this timeless display of slack key’s limitless potential. A song from the collection, “Deep in an Ancient Hawaiian Forest” was featured in Alexander Payne's Academy-Award winning film, The Descendants.

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*Digitally published for the Hawaiʻi Symphony Sheraton Starlight Series on July 9-11, 2021.