Today we’d like to introduce you to Koa Ho.
Koa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in 1997 in Honolulu, Hawaii but grew up primarily in Dallas, TX where I attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts. Dallas is where I really found my passion for music, having been inspired by my musician father to take up playing the bass. When I attended BTWHSPVA, I was introduced to many avenues and possibilities, eventually transitioning from playing primarily classical music to playing jazz towards the end of my time in high school in 2014. After auditioning at multiple college programs, I earned a full ride to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music to study bass performance, from which I graduated in 2018 with my bachelor’s. I would say that the most important experience I had at Frost was connecting with fellow musicians in an ensemble formed by drummer Johnathan Hulett in fall of 2016 – this ensemble would later go on to become my band Shenzi. To date, we have released our first project in the last year, independently booked 2 tours, performed at 3 major festivals, and are hoping to release an album by the end of 2019.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say that I’m fortunate enough to have had my share of blessings so far in my relatively short life. The most defining turn that my life took was when my mother contracted a flesh-eating bacteria called necrotizing fasciitis in the summer of 2006. While on a beach trip in our hometown of Honolulu, she cut her foot on a rock and thought nothing of it. The next week, while on a trip to Dallas, TX for a family reunion she fell gravely ill and was rushed to the emergency room. Before they even understood what was wrong or had a diagnosis, she underwent multiple surgical procedures and was eventually comatose for a month and a half. When the miracle of all miracles happened and she finally woke up, it was necessary for her to stay for nine months of rehabilitation. At this point, my father made the decision to move everything we had from Hawaii to Texas. I was only nine years old at the time, and though I understood much of what was happening, I was bitter for many years at having to leave behind everything I knew and feeling wronged in my own selfish way. Now, I hindsight, I’ve come to realize how much of a blessing this transitional period was. Without moving to Texas, my mother (a doctor) might not have even survived with the level of healthcare available in Texas. Today, she’s alive and well – in the process of rehab, she started her own health & wellness medical practice to figure out solutions for her own problems that conventional Western medicine couldn’t seem to solve. Without Texas, I never would’ve had the same opportunities to explore my drive and passion for music at BTWHSPVA, and I never would’ve made it to UM or met the people with whom my life is inextricably linked now.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Now, a recent college graduate, I’ve become involved in avenues outside of performance – primarily teaching. Currently, I work at Live! Modern School of Music in Miami Shores teaching private lessons and ensembles. I also teach a songwriting class at Dade Correctional Institution in Homestead through a prison writing program called Exchange 4 Change. This job has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had, not only as a musician but as a human being. I was introduced to the program through a friend of mine named Sara Keden, who brought me on to co-teach the class. E4C is a nonprofit that teaches writing to promote dialogue and impact social change in our prison system, and I’m so honored to be a part of the work that is being done through this program. Although I’m relatively green in the education field, my work at Live! and at DCI has had a marked effect on my perception of how music can serve not only as a vehicle for self-empowerment, but as a tool to catalyze communication, engagement, and growth in all aspects of my life and the lives of others.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I’m not sure how to define success as a measurable goal, but I do know that I feel successful as long as I’m an active participant in projects and movements that I’m passionate about. Money, power, and status are definitely some key criteria that often come to mind when we talk about success, but at this stage in my life, I guess I would define it as anything that helps bring peace of mind to myself and those around me – be it mental, emotional, or financial.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shenzimusic.com
- Email: contact@shenzimusic.com
- Instagram: @koahohoho @shenzimusic
- Facebook: facebook.com/shenzimusic
- Other: soundcloud.com/koahomusic
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