Accomplished as a vocalist, pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, producer, and music scholar, Aaron J. Salā is the consummate musician. In addition to his collaborations with a tremendous range of artists from Hawai’i including such superstars as Natalie Ai Kamauu, Kaumaka’iwa Kanaka’ole, and Nā Palapalai, he has also worked on projects for Bette Midler and Kristen Chenoweth, and is a regular consultant for Walt Disney Entertainment. While in pursuit of a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Salā is an Assistant Professor of Hawaiian music tasked with the building of an unprecedented, four-year academic program in Hawaiian music. Counted in his service to the community is his role as member of the Board of Directors of the Hawai’i Tourism Authority. With all of these numerous achievements, however, Salā is quick to acknowledge that the most important, and most rewarding, of these is his role as husband to his wife, Makanani, and father to his two sons, Kamaluikealohaaka’ihilani and Mahi’aiikala’ikūoka’ihilani.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)