ABOUT MAIKA'I
Let's Collaborate
Whether to inquire about teaching, masterclasses, music direction, or any other collaboration, contact Maika'i here.
COLLABORATORS
HONOLULU
SEATTLE
MONTRÉAL
VIENNA
PARIS
BOGOTÁ
HONOLULU
ITALY
PIANIST | VOCAL COACH | MUSIC DIRECTOR
NON PROFIT ADMIN | VOICE OVERS
Kanaka Maoli pianist, Maika’i Nash, returned home in 2017 after 20 years abroad throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, and South America. As a young child growing up in Kailua on the island of O’ahu, he studied piano with Ernest Chang and violin with George Wellington and Katherine Hafner. After a couple of years at the University of Hawai’i @ Mānoa, he moved to Seattle and trained in graphic design and marketing.
After a brief stint owning and operating a music store and school, Maika’i moved to Montréal, Québec and continued working in marketing and design. On a whim, he decided to audition and apply to study music at the McGill Universityʻs Schulich School of Music and soon found his niche as a vocal coach and pianist. He continued his studies of voice, art song, and opera in Austria (Vienna), Italy (Sulmona), and France (Paris), while working professionally at McGill as a vocal coach.
Toronto was the next stop and included positions with Canada’s major operatic companies, while working as a vocal coach and pianist at the University of Toronto, The Glenn Gould School, Western University, and the Royal Conservatory of Music. He with the Metropolitan Opera while concurrently co-founding Opera5, a boutique opera company in Toronto with colleagues from McGill and began the start of a new path with his first foray into music directing.
Throughout his time working in opera, he has collaborated with renowned artists such as; Christine Goerke, Elly Ameling, Barbara Bonney, Julius Drake, Rudolf Jansen, Audrey Luna, Quinn Kelsey, Joan Dornemann, Edith Wiens, Helmut Deutsch, Robert Holl, Wendy Nielsen, Laura Claycomb & Denise Massé, among others.
Maika’i relocated to Bogotá, Colombia in 2015 and began working with Ópera Colombia, the Bogotá Philharmonic and Youth Orchestra, Javeriana University, and other musical and educational institutions in Bogotá, Medellin, Cartagena, and Cali. It was while he was in Colombia that Hawaii Opera Theatre contacted Maika’i to coach and prepare their productions, eventually facilitating his move home when they offered him the position of Head of Music and Director of the Orvis Opera Studio.
Coming home gave Maika’i a new desire to expand back into art forms that he originally worked in at the beginning of his career including musical theatre and Hawaiian music. He founded HI Arts Lab, a multi-disciplinary performing arts non profit, producing 11 concert events before the pandemic forced it to shut down along with companies world wide. He began music directing more and more, working with Diamond Head Theatre, Manoa Valley Theatre, Thé Bright Kid Foundation, Kahilu Theatre, Walt Disney Entertainment Group and has taught at the University of Hawaii @ Manoa, Punahou, and Iolani.
Settling into Hawaii life, Maika’i continues to seek new paths in performing arts and has worked as a DJ at HPR, has begun voiceover and narration work, and teaches and performs at the HPAF & HIMF festivals on Hawaii island. He is a member of the Hawaii Symphony, and continues to collaborate with the Hawaiian music community and works extensively with choirs, and ensembles throughout the islands.
Joan R. | Business Consultant