His playing is enriched and informed by his complete knowledge and deep familiarity with the entire classical repertoire of hundreds of compositions. He uses all of this vast knowledge as a rich background to his solo performance technique. U Ko Ko is known today in Myanmar primarily as a composer of modern film music. He is at the same time, however, one of the leading exponents of the Burmese piano style. For a somewhat older and more straightforward example of Burmese piano playing, please refer to the Ethnic Folkways LP, Burmese Folk and Traditional Music, P-436, Side B, band 9, which contains a solo played by the Late U Than Myint, former director of music for the Burmese Broadcast Service.
Virtuosity is something which has already become an important element in Burmese music.
U Ko Ko perhaps takes this even a bit further than other Burmese pianists. Whether on harp, hsaing, or piano, virtuosity has increasingly defined the performance of Burmese music since the late 1930s. Incredibly fast tempi and brilliant, precise sweeping runs show off the technique and individuality of each performer. Emphasis on showmanship and competitiveness are an expected aspect of the current Burmese musical scene. U Ko Ko wiht his combined knowledge of the older tradition and his strong background as a popular song and film composer have allowed his performances to leap to the farthest limits of the Burmese style without becoming colored by Western technique or style.