Emma Veary

Emma Maynon Kaipuala Veary (born c. 1930) is a lyric Coloratura soprano born in Hawaii.

Emma Veary
Birth nameEmma Maynon Kaipuala Veary
BornTerritory of Hawaii
Occupation(s)Singer (soprano)
LabelsLehua
Music of Polynesia
Mountain Apple Company

Early life

Veary was a child prodigy, singing in church before she was old enough to go to school. Her early role models were sopranos Deanna Durbin and Jeanette MacDonald. Her parents, both of Hawaiian ancestry, encouraged her, but did not have the financial means to provide her with musical training. She was put on a career path by teacher Irmgard (Gardie) Thompson, leading to her singing on the radio and receiving favorable recognition. At age 10, she was profiled in The Honolulu Advertiser, resulting in a music scholarship at Punahou School.[1]

During World War II, she was a USO performer while enrolled at Kamehameha School For Girls, and joined with musicians such as John Kameaaloha Almeida to entertain the troops at Hawaii military installations.[2]

Opera training and Broadway influence

As a teenager, Veary was sent to New York City to be trained at Carnegie Hall as a lyric Coloratura soprano .[3] While there, she was exposed to the Broadway theatre productions of that era, and aspired to expand her repertoire to be inclusive of multiple forms of vocal expression.[4]

Upon her return home, Veary appeared one evening a week on radio station KGMB with Andy Cummings.[5] She enrolled at Roosevelt High School, graduating in 1949,[6] subsequently enrolling in the University of Hawaii as a music major.[7] In 1951, she married United States Navy aviator Robert Moss and moved with him to California.[8] For the next several years, she raised her two daughters and performed in stage productions, occasionally returning to Hawaii.[9] Veary divorced in 1963 and moved to New York to resume her career in stage musicals.[10]

Return to Hawaii

In the 1960s, Veary returned to live in Hawaii, marrying local radio personality J. Akuhead Pupule, and becoming a staple in local stage productions and Waikiki hotel showrooms.[11] In a 1966 stage production of Flower Drum Song, Veary assumed the role of Helen Chao, with James Shigeta, Miyoshi Umeki and Jack Soo reprising their movie roles.[12] When reviewing her show at the Coral Terrace of the Halekulani on the beach at Waikiki, The Honolulu Advertiser entertainment editor Wayne Harada referred to her as, "a diamond in the proper setting."[13] In 1980, Veary was still associated with the Halekulani and married to businessman Richard Ireland.[14]

Later life and career

She collaborated with music entrepreneur Jack de Mello, on a number of her record albums.[15]

Veary retired to Maui, but remains an active performer. In 2010, she gave a concert at the Baldwin Home on Maui.[16] In 2018, she performed with Robert Cazimero in Wailea.[17]

Awards and recognitions
  • 2004 - The Emma Veary Music Scholarship was established at University of Hawaii Maui College.[19]

Discography/Videography

Partial listing

Video
  • Long Story Short with Leslie Wilcox, Emma Veary (Oct. 21, 2008} PBS Hawaii [21]
Albums
  • Emma At The Royal (1976) Lehua [22]
  • This Is Hawaii Volume III (1978) Music of Polynesia [23]
  • Jack de Mello Presents Emma: My Heart Belongs to Hawaii (1973) Music of Polynesia [15]
  • Jack de Mello Presents Emma: Here In This Enchanted Place (1973) Music of Polynesia [15]
  • Jack De Mello Presents The Best Of Emma: A Collection Of 25 Hawaiian Classics (1996) The Mountain Apple Company[24]

References
  1. Crost, Lyn (December 18, 1940). "10-Year Old 'Hawaiian Songbird' Attracts Music-Lovers' Attention". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. p. 3. Retrieved June 23, 2018.; Crost, Lyn (December 19, 1940). "Punahou Scholarship Given Little Songbird". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. p. 1. Retrieved June 23, 2018.; Crost, Lyn (December 19, 1940). "Emma Veary Wins Punahou Music Course (cont. from p. 1)". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. p. 9. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  2. "Young Singer Big Star Of Red Hill Show". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. August 29, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved June 23, 2018.; "Parade of Juvenile Stars". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. August 4, 1944. p. 10. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  3. "Emma Veary On Her Way". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. August 20, 1945. p. 12. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  4. Fleck, Chris (May 11, 2011). "Emma Veary | Old Friends | Midweek.com". archives.midweek.com. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  5. "Big Radio Show". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com (2). November 16, 1947. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  6. "Roosevelt Grads to Wear Caps And Gowns at Program Thursdayn". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. June 6, 1949. p. 7. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  7. "Preparing for Recitals". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. December 10, 1950. p. 32. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  8. "Emma M K Veary wed USN Ensign Robert Moss". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. August 27, 1951. p. 11. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  9. "Isle Songbird Returns for 'Aloha Hawaii' Role". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. June 27, 1960. p. 16. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  10. Wood, Ben (April 26, 1967). "Talented Emma Veary is a show business veteran". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. p. 35. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  11. "Emma Veary Enhances Monarch Room's Show". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. May 3, 1967. p. 67. Retrieved June 23, 2018.; Sherman, Eddie (June 23, 1968). "Note To You". Newspapers.com. p. 27. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  12. "Isle performers cast in 'Flower Drum Song'". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. April 5, 1966. p. 54. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  13. Harada, Wayne (December 4, 1972). "regal Emma's a real delight". Newspapers.com. p. 31. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  14. Chapman, Don. "dis and dot". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. p. 3. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  15. "Jack de Mello Presents Emma". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. January 17, 1973. p. 78. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  16. "Legendary Hawaiian vocalist to perform free concert Thursday - LahainaNews.com | News, Information, Lahaina and Western Maui, Hawaii — Lahaina News". Lahaina News. June 7, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  17. "This is what happens when two legends meet | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News". The Maui News. February 27, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  18. Berger, John (June 24, 1994). "Lifetimes of Musical Achievement". p. 18. Retrieved June 23, 2018.; "Luncheon: Veary, Kenny Feted". Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com. June 24, 1994. p. 20. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  19. "Emma Veary Music Scholarship Established at UH Maui College | University of Hawai'i Foundation". The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation. The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation.
  20. Moreno, Loren (July 17, 2007). "2006 Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame Inductees". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. p. 27. Retrieved June 23, 2018.; Moreno, Loren (July 17, 2007). "2006 Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame Inductees (cont.)". The Honolulu Advertiser at Newspapers.com. p. 31. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  21. "Emma Veary". Discogs. Retrieved June 20, 2018.; "LONG STORY SHORT WITH LESLIE WILCOX Emma Veary | PBS Hawai'i". PBS Hawai‘i. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  22. "Emma At The Royal". Discogs. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  23. "Emma* - This Is Hawaii Volume III". Discogs. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  24. "Emma* - Jack De Mello Presents The Best Of Emma: A Collection Of 25 Hawaiian Classics". Discogs. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
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