Andy Akiho’s “Aka” Steel Drum Performance

Composer Andy Akiho explains to host Scott Yoo how living in New York City shaped his composing and performs his piece “Aka.”

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TRANSCRIPT

It's kind of fitting that you lived here.

Yeah.

I mean, I lived all over New York, but when I moved here is when I was really becoming a composer, not just a performer.

I really started defining my voice here in this neighborhood.

That's where I wrote my first kind of composition, and that was 'Aka.' That's an early piece.

Very early.

So is 'Aka' a piece that you still play today?

Yes. It's I think every time I play it, it's a different instrumentation.

Anything from a solo to full orchestra.

All right.

We're going to hear that one today.

Oh, yes. We'll hear the trio version.

Ken Asalta is going to play drums and Linda Oh on bass.

♪♪ ♪♪ I was starting to get a picture of Andy's creative process using bits of jazz, classical and alternative music as his inspiration.

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