Born and raised in Hawaii, Jennifer Taira has always been an advocate for cultivating accessible, high caliber training programs for local performing artists. As a senior in high school, Jennifer was awarded the Emerson Electric Scholarship given to one student in each state to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy. Inspired by the experience of having disciplined study and immersion in music, surrounded by students from around the world of her own age, Jennifer felt the importance of providing such opportunities to other equally talented musicians in Hawaii who simply did not have the finances to attend such a program. In 2010, Jennifer Taira founded Ohana Arts Festival and School with director of the performing theater at the Hongwanji Mission School, Carolyn Taira, and mezzo-soprano Laurie Rubin. Jennifer currently serves as Artistic Director of Ohana Arts, as well as the resident music director and conductor for the Ohana Arts School.
An accomplished musician, Jennifer has performed extensively throughout the United States as both a clarinetist and collaborative pianist. Recent performances include concerts at Carnegie Hall, the Greenwich Music Festival, National Press Club, State Department and French Embassy in Washington D.C., Ruth Eckard Hall in Tampa, Florida, West Chester University, and Zipper Hall in Los Angeles, California. As composer, Ms. Taira was selected to create the musical setting for the Buddhist recitation of the Golden Chain of Love to be performed at the 2005 Honpa Hongwanji Choralfest, comprised of over 100 singers from all the Hawaiian islands conducted by master choral conductor Nola Nahulu. She has also arranged pop music for acapella groups, and is currently songwriter and producer on Laurie Rubin’s album, “The Girl I Am”, to be released in the Fall of 2012.
She is co- founder of Musique à la Mode Chamber Music Ensemble and the Music at the Bowery Series in New York City’s East Village. Some of her career highlights include receiving top prizes in the Hennings-Fischer Foundation Young Artist Competition and Kingsville International Competition, as well as a solo performance with the Burbank Philharmonic. She has performed with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, New Britain Symphony, and the Royal Hawaiian Band. She has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships, including a full fellowship to study at the Kent/Blossom Music Festival, winner of the Winnetka Music Club Scholarship, and prize winner in the Evanston Music Club Scholarship Competition.
Jennifer is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she received a Bachelor of Music degree and studied with Russell Dagon. She received a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music, where she studied with David Shifrin and Lawrence McDonald, and was a recipient of the Keith Wilson Scholarship. She also studied music education at Columbia University’s Teachers College.
Jennifer is also a multimedia artist, and in her spare time runs her own multimedia production company, Studio Cloud Nine.
