Andy Akiho: a conductor’s analysis of to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem

Abstract

Andy Akiho (b. 1979) is a prominent contemporary American composer whose works span solo, chamber, wind, and orchestral mediums. Most known for his innovative percussion writing, Akiho fuses the influence of visual art, film, popular music, Caribbean steel pan traditions, Bebop jazz, found sounds, his synesthesia, and his Japanese heritage into a compositional voice that is authentic to the composer and his lived experiences. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze Andy Akiho's to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem (2008) to examine its compositional techniques, contextual influences, and performance considerations, while contributing to the limited body of scholarly literature on the composer. to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem, written for winds with Pierrot-inspired instrumentation, is his first work for winds and represents a key moment for the composer's overall body of work. Utilizing techniques associated with composers such as György Ligeti, John Cage, and Robert Schumann, the composition incorporates metric displacement, group dissonance, layered grooves, prepared instrumentation, polyrhythms, and non-traditional tonal relationships. Through evolving permutations of motivic material and the interplay of metrical and antimetrical layers, Akiho constructs a non-linear musical narrative that reflects the fragmentation of trauma-informed memory. This thesis provides biographical context for Akiho's artistic development, examines the historical background of the work, offers a detailed theoretical analysis of its structural and harmonic design, and presents rehearsal strategies for conductors and performers. As his compositional output continues to expand beyond percussion-centered works into chamber and wind genres, further academic engagement with his music becomes increasingly necessary.