It's a busy evening for entertainer and kumu hula Tony Conjugacion, who has his hand in a pair of big events but appears in only one.

"Can you imagine, I'm directing two shows, the Aloha Festivals Falsetto Contest, and my 'Kamau Pono — Our Tenth,' " Conjugacion said. "Too bad I can't be at both."

Conjugacion was a judge at the first falsetto event 13 years ago "and I pretty much ran the whole thing since, booking the headliner, selecting the judges," he said about the annual competition at the Sheraton Waikiki hotel.

But he also hosts and helms his Halau Na Wainohia's fundraiser celebration, marking its first decade, at the Hawai'i Theatre. "My halau is my calling; I've been teaching since 1986," he said. "But I'll be at the falsetto thing in spirit."

He coped with the conflict, juggling his time to provide direction for the falsetto contestants, booking Holunape as featured guest. For his milestone night of mostly Hawaiiana at the Hawai'i Theatre, he's singing (not dancing) and hosting and maintaining the show's pace.

And there's yet another event he and his halau are scheduled to take part in — the free Outdoor Concert at Kapi'olani Community College from 5 p.m. Saturday.

Conjugacion is different things to different people. The hula community knows him as a kumu; radio, concert and music types know him as a vocal chameleon who has reinvented himself over the decades, though he has adhered mostly to the Hawaiiana realm; old-timers may remember when he was billed as "Little Anthony," a protege of singer Melveen Leed; theater advocates might recall the era he appeared in "Miss Saigon" on Broadway.

We asked him Five Questions.

Q. How did the overlapping dates occur?

A. We wanted to move the event from The Royal Hawaiian to the Sheraton, to make it more affordable to the Hawaiian community, but the only date available was the same night I had my big concert at the Hawai'i.

So Auntie Noelani Mahoe is replacing me as a falsetto judge, and she helped formulate some Hawaiian criteria anyway. I've prepared a statement for the falsetto contest, which co-hosts Harry B. Soria and Karen Keawehawai'i will read. I'll introduce my guests at the Hawai'i Theatre.

Q. You welcome a range of guests at "Kamau Pono": Jimmy Borges, Teresa Bright, Brother Noland, Guy Cruz, O'Brian Eselu, Raiatea Helm, Aaron Sala, Healani Youn and halau. How were these selected?

A. When discussing plans with my board, Ipo Tanaki suggested we bring back somebody from each of the 10 years that we enjoyed; not that we didn't enjoy 'em all, but somebody to represent each year. Some have passed on, like Don Ho and Leina'ala Haili, so we asked Jimmy Borges to represent that generation. I also asked my brother (Noland) back — this, after he stole and hid my 'ukulele when he first joined us.

Q. He did what?

A. When I was busy, he came to my dressing room and stole my 'ukulele and hid it behind his guitar case in his dressing room. I was going on after him, and yelling at everyone backstage. I even walked on stage and asked if he hid it. As punishment, since I was mad at him, he never came back, till now.

But we had so much fun together earlier this summer when we did that show together at the Waikiki Aquarium. But like Robert and Roland (Cazimero), we're brothers; we don't know what we'll perform till that moment.

He's really funny, you know; and he can get deep. We kid each other, 'Were you deep in your last show?' We're born on the same day, Nov. 14, but several years apart. We'll close out the concert — and figure out what we'll perform.

Q. What's on your immediate horizon?

A. I'm going back to Japan (to perform); with the release of (the CD) "Na Hula Punahele," things have picked up immensely. And down the road, in November, I start classes for my halau again, with some graduating a couple of years down the line. I want to move on, to teach keiki. Hula has paralleled everything in my life, so having my students take the forefront is pretty much a goal.

Q. Has it seemed a decade's gone by, doing "Kamau Pono"?

A. Not really; seems like five years. I'm indebted to Burton White, to allow us to do the show at the Hawai'i Theatre. Will we continue for the next 10 years, or forever? As long as we can; we feel connected to the theater.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.