johnkurokawa.com

John Kurokawa

Principal Clarinet, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Principal Clarinet, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra
Senior Lecturer of Clarinet, Wright State University

John Kurokawa is the Lecturer of Clarinet at Wright State University. In addition to teaching applied clarinet, he teaches courses in woodwind chamber music, woodwind pedagogy, and music education. His performances have been praised for their “...warmth, communication, and easy virtuosity” (Cincinnati Enquirer) and “truly flawless technique and intonation...a tone as smooth as silk and velvet.” (Kettering-Oakwood Times). He has presented clinics and performed at institutions across the midwest, including the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Penn State University, James Madison University, Viginia Commonwealth University, Bowling Green State University, the University of Evansville, the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and many others, as well as being a frequent clinician with high schools and youth orchestras in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.

Kurokawa currently performs as Principal Clarinetist of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. He has been a featured soloist with both ensembles, performing the works of Mozart, John Williams, Gerald Finzi, and John Adams. Aditional solo appearances include the WSU Chamber Orchestra and most recently, the Dayton Bach Society and the WSU Wind Symphony performing Michael Daugherty's Brooklyn Bridge for solo clarinet and wind ensemble. In the summer Kurokawa performs as Principal Clarinetist of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra's festival, 'Summermusik' and has also performed as guest Eb clarinetist and guest Principal Clarinetist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. An avid chamber musician, he gives educational concerts at schools all over the Miami Valley with the Dayton Phiharmonic Woodwind Quintet and is a founding member of the Prestige Clarinet Quartet, which has been a featured ensemble at the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, International Clarinet Association Clarinetfest, Ohio Music Education Association, and Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Kurokawa has performed on the International Double Reed Society Conference, published articles in the Triad, presented at the Ohio Music Education Association Conference, and in 2013, was one of twenty faculty members recognized by Wright State University for Excellence in Teaching General Education.

Kurokawa holds the B.M. in woodwind performance (specializing in clarinet, flute, and saxophone) from Bowling Green State University and the M.M. in clarinet performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. His teachers include Angelo Fortini, Edward Marks, and Ronald de Kant.

Mr. Kurokawa is a Yamaha Performing Artist and performs exclusively on the Yamaha CSVR Clarinet and Yamaha Custom 881 Eb Clarinet.

Artist bio at GVSU

Dan Graser

Professor of Saxophone, Grand Valley State University
Soprano chair, Sinta Quartet

Described by The Saxophonist Magazine as being "in rarefied air possessing world-class musicianship and super-human technique," Dan Graser is one of the most active performers and pedagogues of his generation. A recipient of the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan, Dan served as Teaching Assistant to legendary saxophone pedagogue Donald Sinta having completed undergraduate work in performance and music history/theory with saxophone virtuoso Timothy McAllister at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

As soprano chair of the world-renowned Sinta Quartet, Dan has been featured internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. SQ are among the most successful ensembles on the chamber music competition circuit having received the Gold Medal of the Fischoff Chamber Competition, 1st Prize of the Concert Artists Guild International Competition (the first time awarded to a saxophone group), 1st Prize in the M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition, the Alice Coleman Grand Prize at the Coleman Competition and 1st Prize at the North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition. SQ have performed throughout the world and were the featured soloists with the Michigan Symphony Band during an historic tour through China. General Arts Touring manages SQ internationally. Their recordings can be heard on the CAG and Bright Shiny Things labels.

As a soloist, Dan has been featured with the GVSU Symphony Orchestra, GVSU Concert Band, University of Michigan Symphony Band, Oakland Wind Symphony, Crane Wind Ensemble, South Oakland Concert Band and in recital at the Kennedy Center as part of the Millennium Stage series. His current solo projects include expanding the soprano saxophone and piano repertoire with piano virtuoso Brian Hsu. As an orchestral performer, Dan has performed on numerous occasions with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin. For several years Dan was the saxophonist with the New World Symphony in Miami under Michael Tilson Thomas, Teddy Abrams, John Adams, and J.D. Gersen. Dan has also performed as saxophonist with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, Peninsula Music Festival, Kalamazoo Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Royal Oak Symphony, as well as the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra.

A highly sought-after pedagogue, Dan is the author of the Saxophone Manual and Chops series of method books, which are now in use by thousands of saxophonists throughout the world in both the jazz and classical realms. Dan has given master class performances and clinics at numerous schools throughout the world including the Paris Conservatory, Shanghai Conservatory, Beijing Central Conservatory, China Conservatory, Versailles Conservatory, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina Greensboro, West Virginia University, and Oakland University. Dan has also held teaching positions at Oakland University, Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts, and the Expressions Music Academy. For more information about the GVSU saxophone studio please visit gvsu-saxophone.com

Dan is a Selmer Paris Artist and performs on Selmer Saxophones exclusively, and is a Légère Reeds Endorsing Artist.