Janey Akagha
Conductor, Festival Winds
Janey Akagha joined the OKYO staff in 2022. She has taught more than one thousand students over the course of her career. She served most recently as the Band and Orchestra Director at Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School where she was named the Oklahoma City Public Schools First Runner Up Teacher of the Year. In 2022 she was recognized by Miguel Cardona, the US Secretary of Education, as a Presidential Scholar’s most influential teacher. She also served as the OKCPS All City Band Middle School Chair. Prior to teaching at Belle Isle, she worked with El Sistema Oklahoma as a Woodwind Tech, Instrumental Teacher, and Teacher Mentor.
Ms. Akagha received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Oklahoma City University. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and received the Wanda Bass School of Music Student Leader Award as well as the Instrumental Music Education Award. In her time there, she was a recording artist for the film Daughter of Dawn and performed at the opening of the Devon Tower.
She has presented at local universities on the topic of music education, and she has performed with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Enid Symphony Orchestra, local churches, non profits, and Canterbury Voices as an instrumental soloist. Akagha has been an adjudicator since 2015 and maintained a private studio since 2008.
Ms. Akagha is a proud alumni of the OKYO ensembles. She lives in Oklahoma City with her husband Chisom and daughter Amara.