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A CD-release concert featuring Joseph Akins, a local pianist and associate recording-industry professor here, will be held on Saturday March 29 at 7:30 p.m.
The Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts is presenting this first music concert to mark the beginning of a series of concerts to be held in the future.
The mission of the Center for the Arts is to promote and enhance the quality of life in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.
"This CD release concert will be their first music concert, and they are wanting to have more, Akins said. This is "creating an outlet for more music concerts. It gives artists such as myself an outlet to [perform] their music."
The upcoming concert also gives piano lovers an opportunity to hear people who can play, Akins added.
"This is not going to be a classical concert," Akins said. The music performed will be "music that anybody can enjoy; it's for the people."
The concert will feature music from Akins' latest CD "Masterpeace" which was released last October. The music from the CD is original music composed by Akins over a period of two to three years.
"Masterpeace" is a collection of peaceful solo piano compositions. "Most people say my music is relaxing," Akins said.
I have heard people say they use it in many different situations: to cool the children down in day care, nursing homes, massage therapists in spas, churches, in the office, or while driving because it [soothes] and calms," Akins explained.
Akins style of music has been compared to that of Jim Brickman and George Winston. The music composed by Akins is receiving increased airplay by popular Internet and pubic radio stations.
Akins has three CDs from his latest artistic phase. He refers to this music as spiritual.
For more than 30 years Akins has been composing, performing and recording music. "I was raised in a musical family," Akins explained. "From a kid, I was expected to play an instrument."
Akins childhood was very different from most. At the age of twelve Akins was ready to perform professionally. He began composing music at 15 and toured with a rock 'n' roll band, Blaze, right after high school.
Unsure if he wanted to continue on the rock 'n' roll track, Akins went to college and explored a different genre of music - jazz.
"Once I got to college and stated studying different kinds of music, jazz became more interesting, more of a challenge for me," Akins explained. "It was more important for me to grow as a musician."
"You learn your lessons from life," he said. "My priorities changed, I started getting more into church and performing in churches, so that had an effect on my music." The music that Akins is writing and performing comes from that experience.
Akins teaches electronic music and musicianship. His professional experience in the field carries over into the classroom.
"All of the experience that I get, from playing in the band to making CDs and [performing] at concerts, now all carries over to the class," Akins explained.
Although being a professional musician and professor keeps Akins busy, it works out best for him and his students. "It is a lot of work. I love it, so it's not really like work," Akins said.
"If I just taught, I would get depressed and probably be a boring teacher, but doing something creative like making the CDs and touring along with the teaching keeps me alive and it keeps everything interesting," Akins explained.
This will be the first opportunity for Akins' students to see him perform professionally.
The concert will take place at 110 West College Street. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors/students, and $8 for children 12 and under. Tickets may be purchased by calling (615) 904-2787.
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