Stephen Akina
Encyclopedia
Stephen Akina is an American film score composer known for combing contemporary classical music
with electro-acoustic music. Notable film scores include horror cult film Demon's Rising, neo-film noir Reverie Blvd. as well as best selling casual game
Caribbean Hideaway.
Akina grew up pursuing a career in music as a classical pianist and eventually studied at the University of Hawaii
. As a pianist he has performed recitals throughout North America
& Oceania
. He collaborated with former first generation Martha Graham
Dance Company performer and noted Modern Dance
pioneer choreographer Jean Erdman
in premiering an unpublished work of composer John Cage
. The score was written by Cage for a solo modern dance work set to Erdman's choreography during the 1950s but finally made its debut forty years later in 1992.
By the mid 1990s Akina left music and pursued other endeavors including service in the Army. Eventually he returned to the music industry and began his graduate work at San Diego State University
where he eventually was appointed as an Adjunct faculty member in music. In addition to teaching piano, he collaborated on new works with faculty members including Professor of Dance, Patricia Sandback.
In 2006, Akina was commissioned to compose a piece for the Pasadena Pops Orchestra in Los Angeles
as part of a fundraising event for the orchestra. Soon after, Akina focused his efforts on music composition and began scoring for films and video Games. Akina founded Special Blend Music, a production company providing a variety of music services for the film and television industry. In addition to his film scores, Akina's music is licensed with major production music
libraries where his cues are used for television network, cable and PBS shows worldwide. Akina currently resides in La Jolla, California.
Contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to the period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. However, the term may also be employed in a broader sense to refer to all post-1945 modern musical forms.-Categorization:...
with electro-acoustic music. Notable film scores include horror cult film Demon's Rising, neo-film noir Reverie Blvd. as well as best selling casual game
Casual game
A casual game is a video game targeted at or used by a mass audience of casual gamers. Casual games can have any type of gameplay, and fit in any genre. They are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games...
Caribbean Hideaway.
Biography
Born Stephen Kinilau Akina, he is a Native Hawaiian from the island of O'ahu where he graduated in 1988 from Radford High School in Honolulu.Akina grew up pursuing a career in music as a classical pianist and eventually studied at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. As a pianist he has performed recitals throughout North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
& Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
. He collaborated with former first generation Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
Dance Company performer and noted Modern Dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
pioneer choreographer Jean Erdman
Jean Erdman
Jean Erdman is a dancer and choreographer of modern dance as well as an avant-garde theater director.-Early years:Erdman was born on February 20, 1916 in Honolulu, Hawaii...
in premiering an unpublished work of composer John Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
. The score was written by Cage for a solo modern dance work set to Erdman's choreography during the 1950s but finally made its debut forty years later in 1992.
By the mid 1990s Akina left music and pursued other endeavors including service in the Army. Eventually he returned to the music industry and began his graduate work at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
where he eventually was appointed as an Adjunct faculty member in music. In addition to teaching piano, he collaborated on new works with faculty members including Professor of Dance, Patricia Sandback.
In 2006, Akina was commissioned to compose a piece for the Pasadena Pops Orchestra in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as part of a fundraising event for the orchestra. Soon after, Akina focused his efforts on music composition and began scoring for films and video Games. Akina founded Special Blend Music, a production company providing a variety of music services for the film and television industry. In addition to his film scores, Akina's music is licensed with major production music
Production music
Production music is the name given to recorded music produced and owned by production music libraries and licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media.-Introduction:...
libraries where his cues are used for television network, cable and PBS shows worldwide. Akina currently resides in La Jolla, California.
Selected filmography
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Pirate Tales |
| 2008 | Reverie Blvd |
| 2008 | Code Black |
| 2008 | Caribbean Hideaway |
| 2008 | Demons Rising |
| 2008 | Shot Up, Shot Down |
| 2008 | Bel Sonno (short) |
| 2008 | River Runs Red (short) |
| 2008 | Brush of Darkness (short) |
| 2009 | Modele |