Q&A with Andy Akiho

On May 28-29, MinnOrch’s Principal Timpani Erich Rieppel moves from his usual place at the back of the stage—where he has deftly anchored the pulse of the Orchestra since joining in 2018—to the solo spotlight. He’ll be performing a brand-new Timpani Concerto (co-commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra) written by Andy Akiho, a virtuoso percussionist and composer whose inventive musical aesthetic has garnered attention in all corners of the music world—and three consecutive Grammy nominations in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Originally written for the Houston Symphony’s Principal Timpani Leonardo R. Soto, Jr., the Timpani Concerto joins Akiho’s impressive collection of large-scale works that have been premiered and performed by ensembles like the New York Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony and Guangzhou Symphony.  

As he gets ready for his first visit to Orchestra Hall, we asked Andy a few questions about his background as a virtuoso steelpannist and what he hopes people take away from listening to his music.

What insights into composition do you feel you have from your background as a percussionist?

My background as a percussionist inspires me to approach composition from a different perspective with each piece. As percussionists, we constantly focus on new beginnings, whether discovering new timbres or new approaches to unique setups and instrumentation combinations. I also approach harmony and melody through rhythm in addition to the colors of the pitches. I believe that my path as a percussionist made this an intuitive possibility.  

In addition to your work as a composer, you’re also a virtuoso steelpannist. What drew you to the steel pan? 

I fell in love with the sound of the steelpan during my undergraduate studies at the University of South Carolina. I then began to focus on the instrument's possibilities while transcribing jazz solos during my student exchange year at the University of North Texas. After finishing my undergraduate studies, I travelled to Trinidad, the birthplace of the steelpan, to absorb the culture and perform with a 128-member steel orchestra during the national competition "Panorama." After those trips, I moved to New York City, where I began arranging for steel bands in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. This inspired me to become a composer and return to graduate school at the Manhattan School of Music, using the steelpan as my primary instrument. After writing several pieces for my colleagues playing various instruments while I performed the pan, I attended Yale and then Princeton to grow as a composer while remaining inspired by my roots as a steelpannist.

You’ve said you enjoy composing for “people, not instruments.” How does this inform your creative process when you start writing a new piece? Have you met with the other timpanists who are involved in the premiere performances of the Timpani Concerto?

Because I was so inspired by Leonardo R. Soto Jr.'s musicianship and personality, I spent a lot of time working with him in Houston last year and getting to know the instrument's qualities better. The piece explores his energy and dedication to the craft. Although dedicated to and written with Leo in mind, I look forward to the piece evolving with each performance and the performers' personalities and nuances. I am really excited to meet and hear Erich's personality emerge through conversation with the Minnesota Orchestra throughout the piece's journey.

You’ve cited Beethoven as your favorite composer because his music captures both the good and bad in life. What do you hope your music conveys when people listen to it? 

I want the listener to create their own experiences and journey with the music. I love when an audience, who may not know what to expect, listens with an open mind.