Cyril Lani Pahinui

Learning from a musical legend, his father Gabby Pahinui, Cyril has spent his life playing, performing and teaching the Native Hawaiian slack key guitar. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, toured around the world, and served as a teacher at the Pahinui School of Hawaiian Music. An award winning artist, Cyril has contributed to three Grammy Award-winning albums, received several Hoku Hanohano Awards, and recorded on more than 35 Hawaiian musical releases.

His greatest reward though, is when he is able to reach people with his music. For years he has accomplished this through teaching thousands of students what his father passed on to him. Hawaiians are taught to kokua (share), knowing that what is given should be given out, and that what is given out will come back. Cyril has lived his life by this adage and continues to be guided by it.

“I know I have succeeded in what my ancestors were trying to teach us about our music and traditions and how the spirit of aloha through sharing our music and our love for our culture is the greatest gift we can give to the world.”