Andy Akiho is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and seven-time GRAMMY®-nominated composer whose music is recognized for its intricate rhythmic drive, vivid colors, and boundary-pushing imagination. Praised as “trailblazing” by The Los Angeles Times and “increasingly in-demand” by The New York Times, he has earned international acclaim for works that engage both the ear and the eye, often embracing the natural theatricality of live performance.

Recent major projects include Nisei, a sweeping new concerto for cellist Jeffrey Zeigler premiered at the 2024 Sun Valley Music Festival; Sculptures, his triple GRAMMY®-nominated collaboration with visual artist Jun Kaneko and the Omaha Symphony; and BeLonging, a powerful new work created for Imani Winds that garnered two GRAMMY® nominations. His music has been commissioned or performed by leading ensembles and institutions including the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, American Composers Orchestra, The Industry, and Music@Menlo. His double GRAMMY®-nominated multimedia work Seven Pillars, written for Sandbox Percussion and choreographed by Benjamin Millepied, enjoyed a sold-out run at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Akiho maintains an active presence as a guest artist and mentor at festivals and conservatories, complementing a career centered on composition. An accomplished steel-pannist, he brings a distinctive percussive sensibility to his work. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, he is based in Portland, Oregon, and New York City.