Although born in Oklahoma, the composer spent the first seventeen years of his life in Hilo, Hawai’i where he grew up within walking distance of the surf
beach Honoli’i. The naming of this piece is based on the memories associated
with his childhood home, 18 Makakai Place. His earliest memory of music is falling asleep under his father’s chair as his parents and their friends played string quartets in the open screen living room.

I. Sunrise
The post-card-brilliant red sunset is the imagery many people envision when
picturing Hawai’i. However, a Hilo sunrise is very different. Its colors are a soft pink and blue which harmonize with a dense green rainforest and a dark rolling ocean. Crisp beams of sun breaking through the rainclouds.

II. Norfolk
In the front yard was a Norfolk pine. The composer would often climb this tall,
beautiful, and resilient conifer to over a hundred feet high where the
wind steadily swayed the trunk and branches. The bark was ruff and the
branches were thin. Numerous abrasions were inevitable from each expedition.

III. Ocean Mist
Makakai translates as “ sea washed” or “ the spray of surfing waves.” 1 Ever
present in the air is a soft humidity and the smell of the ocean. While this
combination increases the rate of wood rot, rust, and mold, the warmth and
ocean are also a source of life, symbolized by the constant movement and
energy of the waves.