Enriching Lives -- Roy And Nyle Hallman's Choir Has Made Friends Worldwide

I have long been impressed and inspired by those who demonstrate the thoughtful quality of going about doing what needs to be done without being told or compelled. Today, I want to tell you the story of two people who did that and, in so doing, have enriched their own lives and the lives of thousands of others.

It all began with a question a friend asked Roy Hallman in 1973 in Honolulu. The question was, "Roy, why is there no boy choir in Hawaii?"

It was a fair question, and Roy Hallman was immersed in music. He had a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College in New Jersey, a master's degree from Union Seminary and had done graduate work at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City.

At the time, he was minister of music at Central Union Church in Honolulu, a position he holds today. His large choir program there includes several choirs for children and young people, which he teaches and directs with great skill.

Nobody was asking him to take on one more responsibility, but the idea of a boy choir for Honolulu intrigued Roy. At first, he asked himself, "Why me?" However, the more he thought and prayed about it, the question became, "Why not me? There is a real need, and why not try to meet it? If not me, who? If not now, when?"

It was not a venture he could undertake alone. But Roy's wife, Nyle, was also a superb musician. Organist at Central Union Church and principal harpist in the Honolulu Symphony, she was also a very talented arranger and accompanist. Nyle shared her husband's vision of creating a boy choir. They were the ideal team to initiate the important project.

Roy and Nyle were not unaware of many conditions beyond time, energy and hard work that would have to be met, beginning with a place to rehearse and financial backing to get started.

Again, the Hallmans both prayed about it, and found the answer to their prayers close at hand. Central Union Church, with its long history of mission throughout the South Pacific, viewed the choir as a mission to support the goals and teach the young boys of Oahu. The church gave a gift of $1,000 as seed money and offered its facilities for rehearsals.

A large question remained, however. Would enough energetic boys respond to make such a choir a reality? Although they loved to sing, it would entail a new discipline of time and hard work. The challenge was great.

Roy called leaders in churches, schools and children's and youth organizations seeking prospective members. His quest proved successful when he suggested to hesitant boys that they might be able to arrange a singing tour to Disneyland. The choir began with 66 charter members in 1974.

Today, the choir is comprised of 130 7- to 13-year-old boys, representing more than 80 public, private and parochial schools on the island of Oahu. They are a dramatic cross-section of Hawaii's people, a blend of many cultural and economic backgrounds. The choir has become an island institution, beloved by the people of Honolulu, and a special attraction for those who visit. Seventy-five members go on tour each year.

The choir has been described as disciplined and hardworking, singers who sell each song with impeccable intonation, consistently beautiful tone, always understandable diction and backed up by imaginative arrangements. Watching the expression on the boys' faces as they sing is an experience never to be forgotten.

The influence of the Honolulu Boy Choir and the gifts they offer have gone far beyond their island. Their singing has entranced the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir and delighted the vice premier of China. Tours have included concerts at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, and the Hollywood Bowl.

The good news for Seattle area audiences is that next week the Honolulu Boy Choir will be in town. They will sing the same one-hour concert on two successive nights at 7:30 p.m. - Wednesday at the University Congregational Church, 4515 16th Ave. N.E., and Thursday at First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard. There is no admission charge. A free-will offering will be received. You and your friends are invited to hear, see and meet this unique choir and their leaders.

Beyond the musical skills they share, the boys have developed a camaraderie and lasting friendships. Many who have shared the choir experience are now doctors, lawyers, engineers, ministers, prominent businessmen, political leaders and responsible husbands and fathers. They look back on their choir days as determinative years in their lives and rejoice in what they learned from Nyle and Roy Hallman.

Remembering how it all began reinforces my conviction that one or two dedicated individuals can make a significant contribution that will affect the lives of thousands.