Clarinetist Katsuya Yuasa, from Kobe, Japan, moved to US and made his solo debut at the age of 12 at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose, California. Some of his achievements in the state are the San Diego Heritage Music Festival Maestro and Director's Award (2009), San Jose State University (SJSU) Concerto Competition performing Luigi Bassi's arrangement of “Rigoletto” by Giuseppe Verdi (2012), and his first inspiration in new music was when he performed as the guest artist for the world premiere of Clarinet Concerto with SJSU Wind Ensemble, “A Candle in the Dark” by Jason McChristian (2013). Simply by pursuing music, as its surrounding community had become something like a second home, Mr. Yuasa was ready to expand his horizon and had the opportunity to also tour across South America with San Jose Youth Symphony. After completing Bachelor of Music under the guidance of Dr. Janet M. Averett at SJSU, he began his new journey in Boston, MA.
He soon performed with the Boston Conservatory (BoCo) Wind Ensemble as a concerto competition winner and featured soloist in “Paganini in Metropolis” by American composer Frank Proto, who quoted: "I wonder what he will be sounding like in a few years if he continues on his current upward trajectory." Mr. Yuasa has performed in numerous masterclasses and collaborated with artists such as Robert Spring, Alan R. Kay, Ayako Oshima, Charles Neidich, Eddie Daniels, Elsa Ludewig Verdehr, Guy Yehuda, Michael Webster, Richard Stoltzman, among others. He likes to involve in various outreach events through the Conservatory Connections Performance Program, and leading organizations including Boston Civic Symphony, Brookline Symphony Orchestra, New England Philharmonic, Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, and Boston Symphony Orchestra.
He has been featured on Boston Symphony Hall, recorded to complete the WCRB - WGBH's sonic logo, and took part with the Boston Symphony Association of Volunteers to serve for the New England community's music education programs. As a soloist, Mr. Yuasa would find any opportunity to travel as his passion lies solely in widening his vision and spreading joy of music. He has taken part in the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra Instrumental Competition as a finalist (New London, CT), and collaborated to perform with International Contemporary Ensemble for world premiere concerts (Boston, MA). He was awarded the Honorable Mentions for Brookline Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition (Boston, MA), Philharmonic Society of Arlington (Arlington, MA), 1st Place for Rio Hondo Symphony’s 47th Annual Young Artists Competition (Whittier, CA) to perform Claude Debussy’s “Première Rhapsodie” for regional debut, 3rd Prize and Performance Award from White Lake Solo Competition (Muskegon, MI), and a Grand Prize for Clarinet Colloquium's 2015 Young Artist Competition (Dallas, TX). He was a clarinet teaching assistant at Summer in the City (San Jose, CA), New York Summer Music Festival (Oneonta, NY), and Collegiate Ambassador of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Most recently he was placed among the top finalists for the Arthur W. Foote Award by the Harvard Musical Association and won 2nd prize in ENKOR International Music Competition.
Mr. Yuasa became a Yamaha Young Performing Artist in 2014, and finished Master of Music in May 2015 at BoCo where he studied with Michael Norsworthy. He is a co-founder of flute/clarinet chamber group called Duo Esplanade (2014) in bringing spotlights to non-standardized music and new music. Currently he is touring as a soloist and chamber musician, and dual enrolling in completing Artist Diploma program at BoCo and starting Doctor of Music as a student of Deborah Bish and Jonathan Holden at Florida State University.
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