Home » Member Page

Asuka Kakitani

About Me

Japanese-born New York City-based jazz composer/conductor Asuka Kakitani is fast becoming a notable presence on the modern jazz big band scene. Her recent awards include the BMI Foundation’s 2006 Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize, the prestigious Manny Albam Commission in 2007, and Composer Assistance Grants from the American Music Center in 2009 and 2010. The Asuka Kakitani Jazz Orchestra will perform Asuka’s compositions that are inspired by art, literature, and nature. She tries to capture this inspiration in orchestrational color and melodic development via extended through- composed forms. Asuka attempts to balance her composed music with a palette for her incredibly creative soloists to express themselves. AKJO has been also performing some of her interpretations of traditional Japanese children’s music, which she “re-composes” by utilizing many of their simple motives for thematic development filtered through the language of her distinct harmonic and melodic concept.

Contact Me

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.