Masayoshi
Ishikawa
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).
