For those who thrive on music’s cutting edge, tickets for the Oregon Symphony just might be a necessity. Rarer than a blue moon, our hometown big band is offering a world premiere in the form of a new percussion concerto. “Just like the audience, it will be a surprise to me, too,” says Karen Wagner, Oregon Symphony’s assistant principal oboe. “Is there anything more exciting than a percussion concerto? You never know what you are going to hear.”
Andy Akiho—a native South Carolinian who now calls Portland home—created the five-part, 32-minute composition. A professional musician himself (specializing in the steel pan), Akiho is becoming more widely known for his writing. He was granted this commission by the Oregon Symphony, who wanted to celebrate the culmination of their three-year artistic residency with Colin Currie, a virtuoso percussionist from Scotland.