11 Facts About Andy Akiho

Andy Akiho took interest in becoming a percussionist when his older sister introduced him to a drum set at the age of 9.

Andy Akiho began taking several trips to Trinidad after college to learn and play music.

Andy Akiho has tried to learn everything he could with what was available to him at the time as a percussionist while at the University of South Carolina.

Andy Akiho has played in a percussion ensemble as a classical percussionist, concert band, and in orchestras.

Andy Akiho had joined a local West African percussion ensemble, Brazilian drumming ensembles, and steel bands.

Andy Akiho began to realize once he finished at South Carolina that he truly loved playing the pans the most and from there he traveled to Trinidad several times without knowing anyone or having any connections.

Andy Akiho started by speaking to the locals telling them that he had really wanted to play the steel pan there.

Andy Akiho has studied compositions with Julia Wolfe, David Lang, and Michael Gordon and was greatly influenced by his teachers Christopher Theofanidis, Ezra Laderman, and Martin Bresnick at Yale School of Music.

Andy Akiho is involved in a stage production collaboration with The Industry's director, Yuval Sharon, who re-imagines Bertolt Brecht's play Life of Galileo by taking part in composing the original music for.

Andy Akiho found it challenging to collaborate with someone because he was used to doing abstract work to then working in a disciplined environment collaborating with someone who knew what they wanted.

An alumnus of two top Drum Corps International performing ensembles, Andy Akiho is becoming a popular composer within the activity.