the rAy's end

“the rAy’s end” was written in March 2008 specifically for a trio called The Andes. This group was originally formed because we were friends with the same first name: Andie Springer on Violin, Andy Kozar on Trumpet, and myself, Andy Akiho on Steel Pan. The title of this work, “the rAy’s end,” can be rearranged to spell out “three Andys.” Although we did not start playing music together until well after we met, we soon realized the potential for the unique combination of timbres between our instruments. This original and uncharted sound gave me the inspiration for our debut piece. It was an inspiring challenge to combine these sounds together, because all three instruments encompass a similar range of pitches. While each instrument is extremely unique as a solo sound, the combined timbres create an amazing homogenous texture. My inspiration for this piece came from observing the swells and changing textures of light created by the rays of the sun. However, I would like to leave it up to the individual listeners to interpret the piece on their own and to hopefully enjoy it.

- Andy Akiho