Hosta

Ryan Choi (born December 2, 1984, in Honolulu, Hawai'i) is a composer and multi-instrumentalist.

Biography

Choi was classically trained on the double bass from an early age and took up the ukulele in high school.^[1] Self-taught as a composer, he first came to international recognition for a series of releases for the baritone ukulele^[2] that were among the first to showcase the instrument's avant-garde potential.^[3][4][5] His debut album, Three Dancers, created after a years-long absence from music,^[6] won the 2016 Independent Music Award for Best Instrumental EP ^[7] and featured the composer on prepared baritone ukulele, percussion and electronics. His work, favoring improvisation and experimentation, is often dense, intricate, and mathematically complex,^[8] utilizing advanced harmony and drawing on a range of visual, literary, and musical sources.^[9] He also makes extensive use of preparations and alternative tunings.^[10][11] He has collaborated with Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer. He lives and works in Honolulu, Hawai'i.

Discography

Solo

• "Three Dancers" (2016)
• "Whenmill" (2016)

Collaborations

• "Company / Arbors" (2016) with Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer
• "IT-FIGURES" (2017) with Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer

Compilations

• "30" (2015)
• "I Never Meta Guitar Four" (2017), compiled by Elliott Sharp, on Clean Feed Records
• "Various - FLUXUS" (2017), Psych.KG

References