What’s On Tap
Thrilled to be the music director, arranger and orchestrator for Cynthia Erivo’s performance in the 17-time Emmy Award-winning series Live from Lincoln Center Presents Stars in Concert. Cynthia’s relatively short career has already been heavily decorated: after winning Tony, Emmy and Grammy awards, she is now just one award away from the coveted EGOT status.
This performance was be taped, airing on PBS in the spring of 2019.
NYC’s annual Global Citizens Festival, an event which calls on world leaders to achieve the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development. This year, the festival also commemorated the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth. It featured performances from Cardi B, Janelle Monae and John Legend—just to name a few. I accompanied Tony Award-winner Cynthia Erivo in opening for Janet Jackson. In the months leading up to the festival, Global Citizens performed over 2.1 million actions urging leaders to end extreme poverty. It was both humbling and empowering to play a part in this world-building event.
Honored to serve as the Music Director / Arranger for this production, choreographed and directed by the legendary Savion Glover. With music and lyrics by Micki Grant, this story is a celebration of African-American culture and community. Originally conceived and directed by the first African-American woman to direct on Broadway, Vinnette Carroll, the show brings issues of race politics to the American stage, using a blend of gospel, jazz, soul, calypso, and rock to create voices for change - incredibly poignant for a time when we greatly need to hear these voices.
One of my greatest joys as a musician is to take a familiar melody and reimagine it through the lens of my classical training. I am thrilled to announce my latest single, “Ain’t Nobody,” a dynamic, tribal piano-driven interpretation of Chaka Khan’s instantly recognizable hit. This energetic cover, with an accompanying video filmed and directed by cinematographer Jordan Battiste, brings a new sense of urgency and passion to a soulful classic.
Currently serving as one of the conductors for the 2018 Tony Winner for Best Revival of a Musical “Once On This Island”. This incredible production has featured some of the most legendary names in theater - Lea Salonga and Norm Lewis, to name a few- as well as the bright, young Tony-nominated star, Hailey Kilgore. Hailed as “ravishing” by The New York Times, it is an honor to also play lead keys, melodica, and hand percussion when conducting, and be part of the “human heart” of this stunning musical.
I am thrilled to announce that Little Dancer, directed by Susan Stroman and written by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, is headed to Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater! I was honored to be a part of this production, playing four instruments and serving as the Associate Music Director. Little Dancer, set in the backstage world of the Paris Opera Ballet, stars New York City Ballet principal dancer, Tiler Peck, and four-time Tony winner, Boyd Gaines.
FAVORITE MOMENTS
Arranging and recording "Ave Maria" for Leslie Odom Jr.’s Grammy nominated album Simply Christmas and Simply Christmas (Deluxe Edition). Both albums reached #1 on the Billboard and iTunes Jazz Charts!
I had the pleasure of playing keys and organ during Little Shop of Horrors at City Center, as well as working with Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and the legendary Ellen Greene who created the role of Audrey!
As part of the Encores! Off-Center series, I accompanied Broadway legends Sutton Foster and Jonathan Groff on a real Hammond B3 organ for the one-night-only Jamboree! event. The concert was led on piano by Tony-award winner Jeanine Tesori and featured an unforgettable performance by tap dancer Ayodele Casel.
Serving as music director, conductor, and pianist for The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin written by the legendary Kirsten Childs. This Encores! production was directed by Robert O’Hara, starring Tony Award winner Nikki James.
Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3, kicks off its new Series with SHABASH!, a summer spectacle of new music and comedy celebrating a range of exciting new work by artists of South Asian descent. Presented in collaboration with Hypokrit Theatre Company's Tamasha, and hosted by Danny Pudi (“Community”) and Parvesh Cheena (“Outsourced”), SHABASH! will begin with DJ RuBot, followed by a night of music and comedy, directed by Zi Alikhan with music direction by Annastasia Victory.
Based on the iconic, hit movie, this irresistible new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn an extra bit of cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight –A pupils into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping mind-blowing rock band. But can he get them to the Battle of the Bands without their parents and the school’s headmistress finding out? Catch Annastasia play keys for this fun production.
Assistant Music Director & Pianist in “Season 1” (13 episodes) of European Reality TV show Enkvällinewyork which translates to “One Night in New York” which included some of the biggest names in Swedish pop, including Zara Larsson, Roger Pontare, Titiyo, Darin, Sarah Dawn Finer, Andreas Lundstedt, Oscar Zia, Linda Pira, Andreas Johnson, Niklas Stromstedt, and more.
"Hear Her Song" is an initiative as a part of the Canales Project that brings together poetry, music, and the stories of female leaders who have inspired positive change in their communities. I was honored to compose a piece for Hillary Clinton.