From the renaissance, classical and early 20th century romance periods, to worldly jazz and Pacific classics — Suva was abuzz with live music with SolFa Music Samoa.
An NGO for a continued legacy of music, arts and education, Solfa Music Samoa was founded by Olivia Hogarth- Khasanova and siblings Philton and Rosaivitilesaualofaoleola Solomona who have big plans to expand from Samoa into the Pacific where classical music can be encouraged, taught, honed and performed for Pacific peoples by Pacific people.
For their launch, Fijian tenor Justin Blake-Hickes was invited to Apia to perform with Solfa Stave (musical term for staff) to mark the occasion, the concert was called Veilomani. Nine months later, the concept had evolved further with a selection of Fiji’s artists and institutions to strengthen mutual goals for music education and quality performance.
Ueta Solomona
SolFa Music Samoa is founded on the legacy of Samoan composer, the late Ueta Solomona (1935-2018). He was Samoa’s first Fulbright scholar and studied at the New York State University, Fredonia Campus from 1959-1963.
He then studied ethnomusicology at the East-West Centre, Hawaii before serving Samoa as the national music director.
He was arranger and choir trainer for the well-known TTC albums like Samoa I Sisifo and Pese Faamavae.
Solomona then became senior lecturer for Music and Performing Arts at the University of the South Pacific from 1975 to 2005 where he founded the USP String Ensemble (2003) which was then later rebranded as the Davui String Ensemble under Canadian cellist Tara Mar and Dutch violinist Irena Cloin.
Ueta was also known in Fiji as chief judge, composer and arranger for the Methodist Conference Choir competitions, worked closely with both the Fiji Army and Police bands, many local musicians in the tourism industry, wrote the first opera in Samoan that was featured in the first Festival of Pacific Arts (1972) by American Samoa and was music director of the Archdiocese of Polynesia to name a few.
In 2005, Ueta Solomona was awarded the Officer of the Order of Samoa in 2005 for his lifetime work and contributions to music and with his wife, Susau Fanifau Solomona (nee. Konousi) established the National Orchestra of Samoa after resigning from USP.
The three founders of SolFa are inaugural members of the National Orchestra of Samoa from 2006 as violinists and remained students of Ueta and Susau Solomona until their respective tertiary studies in New Zealand and China.
Philton and Rosa
Suva-born siblings, Philton and Rosaiviti Solomona have strong musical lineages from both their parents and therefore their upbringing was rather different from their peers in a country where music and arts education was largely unavailable and unpopular.
Their maternal grandfather is the late Mamao Konousi who is best known for his winning choral compositions used in the Methodist Church of Rotuma and Fiji.
Concerts, recitals, workshops, individual lessons and daily practice (before meals) were a norm on in the Solomona household of musical instruments like clarinets, violins, flutes, drums, saxophone and an upright acoustic piano.
“Growing up we played Piano, not Playstation”, said Ms Rosa Solomona as she reminisces on her childhood. Older brothers Christopher and Ueta Junior Solomona had a popular band in the late ’80s to early ’90s Patchwork Beat and their sister Penina played the flute and was a gifted classical pianist and part-time church organist for the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Philton, an award-winning composer and documentarian together with Rosa, multi-disciplinary artist, continue this family legacy and service through Solfa Music Samoa.
The core of the Fealofani Tour was the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) in the UK and SolFa Music Samoa Rudimentary Classical Strings Workshops for the Fiji Police Band that took place on the 16th, 17th and 19th at the Police barracks, Nasova.
This is historical for Fiji and something that Fiji has been ready for a long time, according to Mrs Susau Solomona.
Senior Superintendant and director of operations Kasiano Vusonilawe envisions members of the Police Band playing violins, violas, cellos and double basses in the near future and as founding players of Fiji’s first orchestra. With the assistance and support of ABRSM and SolFa Music Samoa, Fiji has a better chance to catalyse and sustain something as ambitious and obligatory as a national orchestra with the Fiji Police Band to serve the country, encourage music education and heal a nation.
While in Fiji, Solfa conducted a Music and Arts medicine workshop organised by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection and the Salvation Army for street children and youth on the 14th at Raiwai.
There were 47 participants who were taken through activities aimed at breaking inhibitions, building confidence and encouraging discipline with the learning of an original song by National University of Samoa Music & Expressive Arts lecturer and tour manager, Susau Solomona, We Say No To Violence to conclude the one-day workshop.
The Solfa Music Samoa String Quartet also performed at the Museum and ICT as main performers. The Fiji Museum hosted the first two shows of the tour: A Night of Love Songs on their varendah where Fiji’s own songbird Jedidiah Tuinasavusavu and Justin Hickes
“The Fijian Tenor”, prominent Fijian guitarist Ben Masirewa, Punaoleola Barbie Muaitau (Solfa intern) and Solfa Music Director and saxophonist Philton Solomona serenaded the audience with some favourite pop, jazz and ballads.
Following that was somewhat of am enchanted evening performed inside the Fiji Museum and it featured the string quartet, soloists Damian Han (piano), violinists Philton Solomona and Matthew Scadden, Fijian tenor and soprano, Rosaivitilesaualofaoleola Solomona.
The evening also featured two renowned literary artists and educators, Dr Cresantia Frances Koya-Vakauta and Prof. Dr Konai Helu-Thaman who shared their original poems.
To celebrate World Music Day, the Solfa String Quartet performed at the Alliance Francaise on the evening of the 20th and networked with more of Suva’s musicians and expatriate community.
The Fealofani Concert ended the tour on the following evening at the Japan Pacific ICT Centre, USP. The audience present witnessed the significance of the collaborations and friendships made on the tour.
Niu Sounds (led by music director Calvin Rore) and the Oceania Dance Theatre (directed by Ateca Ravuvu) performed Pacific contemporary movement and music at its best with Moana Loa Performing Arts, founded by Ateca Ravuvu, demonstrating the exceptional level of skill and artistry in Fiji through silk and aerial dancing.
Special pieces were collaborations of these various art forms performed by Solfa and her new artistic friends showcasing the many possibilities there are to uplift Performing arts in the Pacific by the Pacific.
The tour would not have been made possible if it were not for the following sponsors: Fiji Airways, Dragon Music Co. Ltd and Yamaha, Stage Tech, the University of the South Pacific, Fiji Museum, Fiji Police Band, Gingerlei Beer Fiji, ABRSM, Tautei and the Fiji Arts Council.
Also acknowledging the Konousi-Faktaufon, Saverio-Mua and Solomona-Leqa families for their unwavering support throughout the tour.
“It was a great pleasure to meet the Solfa team and be of assistance for their shows in Suva. Such great multi-talented artists as Philton and Rosa and the beauty of collaborating with our local musicians and artists… We look forward to more in the near future.” – Farha Rahim of Dragon Music and Yamaha.