There is a sound that belongs entirely to Hawaii. It rises above the range of conventional singing, floats between notes that no formal scale fully captures, and carries within it the weight of generations of Hawaiian musical memory. It is the leo kiʻekiʻe — the falsetto voice — and every September on Maui, one extraordinary evening at the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua reminds the world exactly what it sounds like when that tradition is honored at its highest level. The 24th Annual Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest 2026 is expected in September 2026 — following the precise annual pattern that has made this event one of the most respected and most beloved evenings in the entire Festivals of Aloha calendar.
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Who Was Uncle Richard Hoʻopiʻi?
The Legacy of a Hawaiian Falsetto Legend
The contest bears the name of one of the most decorated figures in the history of Hawaiian music. Uncle Richard Hoʻopiʻi was a Hawaiian falsetto legend and co-founder of The Hoʻopiʻi Brothers — a musical duo whose contributions to Hawaiian music span decades and whose legacy is honored through some of the most prestigious awards in the art form:
- Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner — Hawaii's equivalent of the Grammy Awards, the highest honor in Hawaiian music
- Nā Hōkū Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award co-recipient
- National Endowment of the Arts Folk Heritage Fellowship co-recipient — a federal recognition of his role in preserving a living American cultural tradition
- Grammy Award co-recipient
- Founder of the Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Contest itself — making the competition a direct continuation of his vision for Hawaiian falsetto's future
Uncle Richard did not simply perform Hawaiian falsetto. He built the infrastructure that would carry it forward after him. The contest that bears his name is the clearest expression of that commitment.
The 2026 Contest: What Is Confirmed
Anticipating the Next Chapter of a Musical Tradition
The 24th Annual Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest 2026 is expected on Saturday, September 19, 2026 — following the established annual pattern of the third Saturday of September:
- 2025 (23rd Annual): Saturday, September 20, 2025 at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
- 2026 (24th Annual): Expected Saturday, September 19, 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
- Start time: 6:00 PM (doors open; contest begins promptly)
- Venue: The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Lahaina, HI 96761
- Organiser: Festivals of Aloha, directed by Daryl Fujiwara
- Official website: festivalsofaloha.com
- Contact: sfdhawaii@gmail.com / 808-264-8779
Admission pricing and the official 2026 date will be confirmed by Festivals of Aloha closer to the September window. Follow @FOAMauiNui on Instagram and facebook.com/FestivalsOfAloha for the announcement.
What the Hawaiian Falsetto Is
The Unique Sound of Leo Kiʻekiʻe
Understanding what makes the Richard Hoʻopiʻi Falsetto Contest so significant requires understanding what leo kiʻekiʻe (Hawaiian falsetto) actually is:
- Leo kiʻekiʻe literally translates as "the high voice" — the register above a singer's natural chest voice, accessed through a specific vocal technique that creates a pure, floating tone
- Hawaiian falsetto is distinct from Western operatic or pop falsetto — it carries a specific stylistic quality rooted in the melodic and linguistic patterns of Hawaiian mele (song) and shaped by the phonetic beauty of the Hawaiian language
- The tradition developed through the 19th and 20th centuries as Hawaiian musicians absorbed influences from Mexican and Portuguese cowboy music brought to the islands — the falsetto yodel common in those traditions merged with Hawaiian melody and language to create something entirely new
- Contestants are judged on voice quality, technique, Hawaiian language pronunciation, and overall performance in honoring the legacy of Hawaiian mele
- Every performance is an act of cultural perpetuation — not just a vocal display but a delivery of Hawaiian words, Hawaiian stories, and Hawaiian musical memory
The 23rd Annual Contest (2025): The Template for 2026
Learning from the Past to Shape the Future
The 2025 edition at the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua is the most recent completed contest and the clearest guide to what the 2026 evening will deliver:
- 2025 champion: Koakāne Mattos of Makawao, Maui — a contestant who had entered multiple previous years, absorbed judges' feedback each time, and returned in 2025 to deliver a performance described as genuinely transformed
- First place prize package included:
- Two roundtrip airline tickets from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
- A premium-grade Kanileʻa Koa tenor ukulele with case valued at $2,800
- The Hawaiian Language Award from the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua: a deluxe two-night ocean-view stay with breakfast at Ulana Terrace — a $5,350 value
- The Sheldon Keahiawakea Brown Music Award
- Second place: Royden Kahaʻi Sato Jr. of Wailuku — $400 cash, commemorative umeke, and gifts from Manaola Hawaii
- Third place: Itsuki Ezawa of Chiba, Japan — $200, commemorative umeke, and gifts from Manaola Hawaii
- Head judge: Cody Pueo Pata
- ʻŌlelo (language) judges: Kīʻope Raymond and Kuʻulei Alcomindras
- Music judges: Ikaika Blackburn and Kamaka Kukona Palakiko
The fact that the 2025 third-place winner traveled from Chiba, Japan confirms something important: the international reach of this competition is real. Hawaiian falsetto has one of its most passionate practitioner communities outside Hawaii in Japan, and the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua ballroom is where that international dedication meets the source tradition.
Past Champions: A Roll Call of Hawaiian Voices
The Voices that Define a Tradition
The contest's champion list reads like a map of contemporary Hawaiian musical talent:
- 2024: Antonio Robles, Wailuku, Maui
- 2023: Liam Moleta, Honolulu, Oʻahu
- 2022: Heuaʻolu Sai-Dudiot, Hilo, Hawaiʻi
- 2021: Kamaehu Kawaʻa, Waiehu, Maui
- 2020: Contest not held (COVID-19)
- 2019: Ikaika Mendez, Ulupakakua, Maui
- 2018: Kaulike Pescaia, Kihei, Maui
- 2017: Kason Gomes, Wailuku, Maui
- 2016: Gregory Kahikina Juan, Wailuku
Maui's dominance in the champion list reflects the island's extraordinary depth of Hawaiian musical culture — a living tradition carried forward by families, hālau, and community musicians across upcountry, West Maui, and the central valley.
The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua: An Extraordinary Setting
Where Tradition Meets Luxury
The contest's home venue, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, is one of the most beautiful resort properties in all of Hawaii — positioned on the cliffs of northwest West Maui above Kapalua Bay, with sweeping views of the Pailolo Channel and the island of Molokaʻi on the horizon:
- The contest is held in the Ritz-Carlton ballroom — a formal, fully appointed event space that elevates the contest's atmosphere to match the cultural significance of what is being performed
- Kapalua is approximately 15 minutes north of Kāʻanapali Beach along the Honoaʻpiʻilani Highway — the most scenic stretch of West Maui's coastal road
- The Hawaiian Language Award prize — a two-night ocean-view stay with breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton's Ulana Terrace — is awarded specifically by the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua as a partner recognition of the winner's Hawaiian language excellence
The setting — a formal ballroom at a luxury cliff-top resort on the northwest tip of Maui — gives the Richard Hoʻopiʻi contest a gravitas and beauty that perfectly matches the art form it celebrates.
The Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest: The Partner Event
Celebrating Female Voices in Falsetto
The Richard Hoʻopiʻi Falsetto Contest sits within a broader Festivals of Aloha falsetto programme that now includes a second prestigious competition:
- The Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest — the female falsetto counterpart to the Richard Hoʻopiʻi contest — was established in 2022 as the first dedicated female falsetto competition in Hawaii
- The 2025 (4th Annual) Carmen Hulu Lindsey contest was held on Friday, October 24, 2025 at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea — doors at 5:30 PM, contest at 6:00 PM, free admission
- The 2026 (5th Annual) Carmen Hulu Lindsey contest is expected in October 2026 at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea; exact date TBA
- The 2025 Carmen Hulu Lindsey champion was Leimana Purdy — who performed at the May 2026 Wailuku First Friday Lei Day edition confirming the champion's continued community presence
- Applications for both contests are managed through festivalsofaloha.com — spaces are limited and early applications are strongly encouraged
Together, the Richard Hoʻopiʻi and Carmen Hulu Lindsey contests form the most complete championship platform for Hawaiian falsetto singing available anywhere in the world.
How to Enter the 2026 Contest
Becoming Part of a Musical Tradition
For aspiring falsetto singers, the Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest is the premier competitive platform in Hawaiian music:
- The contest is open to amateur falsetto singers from across Hawaii and beyond
- Contestants are judged on voice quality, technique, Hawaiian language pronunciation, and overall performance
- Applications open approximately 6 to 8 weeks before the September contest date — typically announced in July
- Apply at festivalsofaloha.com — spaces are limited and early applications are strongly encouraged
- For entry inquiries: sfdhawaii@gmail.com
- Koakāne Mattos's 2025 championship stands as a reminder that persistence matters — he entered multiple years before winning, using each year's judges' feedback as a development tool
The September Maui Cultural Calendar Context
A Month Rich in Cultural Experiences
The expected September 19, 2026 date for the Richard Hoʻopiʻi contest places it within the richest stretch of Maui's cultural calendar:
- September 4 — Wailuku First Friday, Market Street, Wailuku (free)
- September 7 — Hāna Buddhist Temple closes the Maui Obon Bon Dance season
- September 11 and 12 — Kū Mai Ka Hula competition at Castle Theater, MACC / Lights for Lahaina / Aloha Friday at QKC
- September 19 — Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest, Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
- October 2026 — Carmen Hulu Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest, Four Seasons Maui, Wailea
A visitor staying on Maui across September 2026 could experience one of the deepest and most culturally authentic single-month Hawaii experiences available anywhere on the island calendar.
Practical Information for the Richard Hoʻopiʻi Falsetto Contest 2026
Getting to the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
- Address: One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Lahaina (Kapalua), HI 96761
- From Kahului Airport (OGG): Approximately 50 to 60 minutes west and north via the Honoapiʻilani Highway — the full scenic West Maui coastal drive
- From Kāʻanapali Beach: Approximately 15 minutes north along the Honoapiʻilani Highway
- From Wailea: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes north and west
Tickets and Admission
Securing Your Place at the Contest
- Admission pricing for the 2026 contest will be announced by Festivals of Aloha — check festivalsofaloha.com for release
- Past editions have been modestly priced ticketed events; the exact 2026 pricing is TBA
- Tickets have sold out in past years — purchase as soon as they are released
Where to Stay Near Kapalua
Accommodation Options for Contest Attendees
- The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua — attending the contest as a resort guest is the most seamlessly luxurious approach; the Ritz-Carlton Hawaiian Language Award gives the 2026 winner a two-night stay
- Kapalua Villas Maui — condominium-style resort accommodation within the Kapalua resort grounds
- Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa at Kāʻanapali Black Rock — 15 minutes south, full resort infrastructure with easy drive up to Kapalua on the contest evening
Frequently Asked Questions
The Things People Always Want to Know
When is the Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest 2026?
The 24th Annual Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest is expected on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua — based on the consistent annual third-Saturday-of-September pattern; exact date TBA via festivalsofaloha.com.
Where is the Richard Hoʻopiʻi Falsetto Contest held?
At The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Lahaina, HI 96761 — the ballroom venue that has hosted the contest for multiple consecutive years.
What is Hawaiian falsetto (leo kiʻekiʻe)?
The high vocal register used in Hawaiian traditional music — a distinctly Hawaiian art form combining voice quality, Hawaiian language precision, and musical expression rooted in the mele (songs) of the Hawaiian tradition.
Who can enter the Richard Hoʻopiʻi Falsetto Contest?
Amateur falsetto singers from across Hawaii and internationally — apply at festivalsofaloha.com when applications open, typically in July.
Who won the 2025 Richard Hoʻopiʻi Falsetto Contest?
Koakāne Mattos of Makawao, Maui — winning a prize package including airline tickets, a Kanileʻa Koa tenor ukulele valued at $2,800, and a Ritz-Carlton two-night ocean-view stay valued at $5,350.
What is the Carmen Hulu Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest?
The female falsetto counterpart to the Richard Hoʻopiʻi contest — the first dedicated female falsetto competition in Hawaii, held annually in October at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, also organised by Festivals of Aloha.
Verified Information at a Glance
- Event: 24th Annual Richard Hoʻopiʻi Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest 2026
- Category: Hawaiian falsetto singing competition
- Expected date: Saturday, September 19, 2026 (exact date TBA; confirm at festivalsofaloha.com)
- Expected start time: 6:00 PM
- Venue: The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Lahaina, HI 96761
- Organiser: Festivals of Aloha, directed by Daryl Fujiwara
- 2025 champion: Koakāne Mattos, Makawao, Maui
- Judging criteria: Voice quality, technique, Hawaiian language pronunciation, overall performance
- Open to: Amateur falsetto singers from Hawaii and internationally
- Prize highlights (2025 reference): Airline tickets, Kanileʻa Koa ukulele ($2,800 value), Ritz-Carlton two-night stay ($5,350 value), cash, awards
- Partner event: Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest — expected October 2026, Four Seasons Maui at Wailea
- Contact: sfdhawaii@gmail.com / 808-264-8779
- Official website: festivalsofaloha.com
- Social: @FOAMauiNui on Instagram / facebook.com/FestivalsOfAloha
- Nearest airport: Kahului Airport (OGG) — approximately 50 to 60 minutes
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