Kauaʻi ʻōʻō

Program Note

The Kauaʻi ʻōʻō is an extinct bird native to the Kaua’i island, part of the Hawaiian archipelago. The main cause of the species extinction was habitat loss, as well as increased occurrences of extreme weather on the island. The ʻōʻō is one of the few extinct birds to have been recorded before their extinction, with the last recordings being from 1987. These recordings served as a basis for this composition, as the flute mirror’s the ʻōʻō song’s contours and spectral content. The piece examines themes of isolation, destruction, and loss.

Performed by

Constantinides New Music Ensemble at the Old Band Hall in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2024