IN 1971, soon after earning her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College’s renowned Conservatory of Music, Marsha Schweitzer accepted a job with the Ho­no­lulu Symphony. She planned to stay in Hawaii a few years, then move on.

The native of Canton, Ohio, never left.

During her 40 years as a bassoonist with the symphony, Schweitzer performed with dozens of notable Hawaiian musicians and hula halau. In the early 1980s, she began writing arrangements of classic Hawaiian songs such as "Aloha ‘Oe," "Hawai‘i Pono‘i," "Kamehameha Waltz" and "Hawai‘i Aloha," and performing them with her chamber music group, the Spring Wind Quintet. It was her first in-depth foray into the genre.

When the City and County of Honolulu commissioned the quintet and Keola Beamer — one of Hawaii’s premier singers, songwriters, arrangers and slack-key guitar masters — to compose a new musical work in 2005, Schweitzer forged stronger connections with the Hawaiian culture.

"I’ve become a student of Hawaiian history, am somewhat conversant in the Hawaiian language and have learned to oli (chant)," she said. "From working on arrangements with Keola, I now know Hawaiian music in a much deeper way. I don’t have Hawaiian blood, but I have plenny Hawaiian spirit."

Over the past seven years, Schweitzer has collaborated with Beamer and his family on many projects; she considers the Aloha Music Camp to be among the most rewarding of them. The Beamers founded the camp in 2001 to share their cultural legacy.

"They were at home playing music, singing, dancing, making lei, talking story," Schweitzer said. "Then someone asked, ‘What if we invited other people to join us?’ — and the idea for the Aloha Music Camp was born. It offers the chance for people of all ages and backgrounds to join the Beamers and other esteemed Hawaiian cultural practitioners for a full week of music, food, fun, laughter and learning."

For the first three years, the camp was held in Puna on the east side of Hawaii island; for the next four, it was on Molokai. Keauhou Beach Resort, on Hawaii island’s west side, has been its home since 2008, the year Schweitzer became the administrator of the Mohala Hou ("blossoming anew") Foundation (www.mohalahou.org).

The Aloha Music Camp’s leaders, including Beamer and his wife, Moanalani, established the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 2006 to support and promote the public’s understanding and involvement in Hawaiian culture, as expressed through music, dance, language and crafts. Held each year in February and July, the camp is Mohala Hou’s biggest event.

"I like to think of Mohala Hou as an incubator for the reborn, re-energized Hawaiian culture of the modern age," Schweitzer said. "It helps the culture ‘blossom anew,’ as its name suggests. The ancient Hawaiian culture is rich, sophisticated, beautiful, profound and in danger of being lost, or at least atrophied. First we must preserve what we have of it; then we must live it — help it to grow and evolve in the global 21st century."

No prior experience as a singer, dancer or musician is necessary to attend the Aloha Music Camp. Classes, offering ample opportunity for one-on-one interaction with instructors, are available for all levels. Participants are welcome to sample as many different classes as they want during the week.

"The Hawaiian culture has not always been portrayed accurately by the visitor industry, and Hawaiians themselves have sometimes lost their sense of identity and awareness of their heritage," Schweitzer said. "At the Aloha Music Camp, participants learn from respected kumu (teachers) and kupuna (elders) who bring the power of the culture and a true heart of aloha to their work."

According to Schweitzer, camaraderie is an important part of this authentic Hawaiian cultural immersion experience. Campers don’t only learn skills, they build lasting relationships with their teachers and other participants by eating meals together, joining voices at impromptu jam sessions (which often go into the wee hours of the morning) and learning more about music than just melodies.

As attendees discover different playing techniques, composers’ backgrounds, the kaona or hidden meanings of lyrics, the inspiration for songs and the significance of their settings, they gain insights about themselves and others.

"They’re infused with aloha — the essence of Hawaii — by being in the company of mentors who create a joyful, nurturing environment and fill every moment with lessons about life, love and community," Schweitzer said. "The Aloha Music Camp is one amazing week that often changes people’s lives forever."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.