Location

Port - Of- Spain

Birthday:

November 4

What interests you about the steelband art form? If you like, go ahead and tell your fellow WST Ning members about yourself here

Akua is committed to the promotion of music and the steelpan, as a means for youths to channel their energies in a positive direction. He believes, and has demonstrated, that it is a vehicle that can foster self-confidence and self-worth. At the early age of 12, Akua realized he had a passion for music when he began playing steelpan at South East Port of Spain Secondary School. To complement his natural playing abilities, he later attended classes in music theory at the Trinity All Generations School of the Arts (TAGS) and was soon providing services there as steelpan tutor and arranger, in due course being appointed Vice Principal of Performance as well as Music Director of the “TAGS Prodigies” ensemble. As a performer, Akua has toured extensively, promoting the national instrument throughout Europe, Asia, North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. He was a member of the National Steel Symphony Orchestra of Trinidad and Tobago, and now performs with the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Steelband. Akua’s teaching experience ranges from the young (TAGS, the Holistic Music School, and the City Angels Music programme), to the over-forties (he created a group called “Highlights” for mature citizens who never had the opportunity to play or learn about the steelpan), and includes employment as a part-time lecturer at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. In 2009, Akua began arranging for competitions, taking TAGS to 3rd place in the National Junior Panorama on their first appearance in the event. In 2013, he took Chord Masters Steel orchestra to 4th place in the National Panorama (Single Pan) competition and in 2014 he brought PanDemonium back to the National Panorama finals (Small Conventional) with his arrangement of “Pan in Yuh Pwefen”. He has also led TAGS to remarkable success in the Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival. Akua has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Musical Arts from the University of the West Indies and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree at the prestigious NIU School of Music, as a Fulbright scholar.