Celebrate These Composers During AAPI Heritage Month

By Colleen Phelps

Published May 21, 2021 at 8:36 PM EDT

Headshots of Composers Lucrecia Roces Kasilag, Zakir Hussain, Keiko Abe, Koji Kondo, Queen Lili'uokalani, and Toshiro Mayazumi — Composers Lucrecia Roces Kasilag, Zakir Hussain, Keiko Abe, Koji Kondo, Queen Lili'uokalani, and Toshiro Mayazumi

May is AAPI Heritage Month, and classical music offers many opportunities to celebrate composers who are Asian American or from Pacific Islands.

This playlist includes everything from piano pieces inspired by Mongolian folk songs to the well-known theme to Super Mario Bros. Hawaii's queen Lili'uokalani is represented, as well as pianist Chloe Flower, whose outfits are just as regal and ornate. Tan Dun's soundtrack to the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won an Oscar for Best Original Score, and the face of Lucrecia Roces Kasilag graced the postage stamp of the Philippines.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0OUTM6avaaRWeSG33XyDgC?si=23df6faa1f9347c9

Classical

Colleen Wheelahan

Colleen is the morning host for LPM Classical. Email Colleen at colleen@lpm.org.

See stories by Colleen Wheelahan

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