Masayoshi Ishikawa- Bio

As an active composer, Ishikawa’s compositions have been performed in different countries including Italy, China and Japan. His composition, Hotaru (a firefly), was selected as the winner of 2014 Downbeat Student Music Awards in Graduate Original Composition for Small Ensemble. Ishikawa was also recognized as a finalist for his piano composition, Wasururuka (Have You Forgotten?), for 2016 International Composition Competition “Maurice Ravel”

Ishikawa recently has written another multi-movement work titled Suite for the Forgotten. The piece is dedicated to people who are currently living in Fukushima under the risk of exposure to radiation. In this composition, Ishikawa incorporated a string quartet as well as French horn into the traditional jazz big band instrumentation.

In 2013, Ishikawa has completed Stevie Wonder Recomposition Project. In this project, he selected multiple Wonder compositions to recompose for chamber jazz ensemble with various instrumentations.

Ishikawa, a pianist, has been involved in several jazz ensembles within the United States and has performed at many festivals. He was recognized as the finalist for the 2016 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition.

Ishikawa is a member of ASCAP, JEN and College Music Society. He holds Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies (composition) from the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2015.) He has also earned two Master of Music Degrees—one in jazz composition from University of South Florida (2012) and one in jazz piano performance from University of Northern Colorado (2008).