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Chad Uyehara

Chad Uyehara

Academy String Program Director (on leave 23/24)

An alumnus of HYS, Chad Uyehara conducts the Intermediate String Ensemble and Concert String Orchestra, and also serves as Academy String Program Director. He received his Master’s of Music in Music Education and Viola Performance from Northwestern University where he studied viola with Roland Vamos. He earned his Bachelor’s of Music in Violin Performance, studying with LaVar Krantz, Bachelor’s of Arts in French, and membership in Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Additional studies include the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and Festival, the Conductor’s Workshop of America, Mimi Zweig’s Retreat for Violin and Viola Teachers, Suzuki Association of the Americas teacher training, and Paul Rolland String Pedagogy certification. 

Mr. Uyehara has performed on violin and viola with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Desert Springs Chamber Orchestra, and the Honolulu Symphony. He currently performs with the Maui Pops Orchestra, with local music theater companies, and as part of a violin-piano duo. He has taught orchestra for the Clark County School District in Nevada, the Las Vegas Youth Philharmonic, the Hawaii Department of Education at Kalani High School, Kaimuki Middle School, and Moanalua Elementary, Hanahauoli School, and St. Andrew’s Schools. Mr. Uyehara also served as interim conductor for the University of Hawaii at Manoa Symphony Orchestra during the 2014-2015 school year. Currently, he directs orchestras for the Hawaii Youth Symphony and Moanalua Middle School. He also maintains a private violin and viola studio. 

For many years, Mr. Uyehara served as president of the Hawaii chapter of the American String Teachers Association (HASTA) and organized the HASTA Solo & Ensemble Festival and Junior Festival Orchestra. Other professional affiliations include the Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Society, Suzuki Association of the Americas, Music Teachers National Association, National Association for Music Education, American Viola Society, and the Hawaii Association for Curriculum Development. He has been honored with the 2018 Teacher of the Year award from the Hawaii Music Teachers Association. Mr. Uyehara particularly enjoys teaching at the middle school level and serves on the Teacher Leaders Committee of the Association for Middle Level Education. 

Updated 2/17/2023

Our students exude a wonderful enthusiasm for learning and performing. As a HYS educator, I am fortunate to share that joy of music with the students and happy to give back to the organization that helped nurture my own passion for music. I’m looking forward to furthering our incredible program in this new role.