A charismatic and versatile clarinetist, Katsuya Yuasa has been praised by critics as a “born performer with rare ability to express the beauty and soulfulness of the composer’s music” – and have toured in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia as a concert soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. Born in Kobe, Japan, he is presently the International Concert Artist of Mu Phi Epsilon (MPE), Piatigorsky Foundation Artist, and Professor of Clarinet at Florida A&M University. He is a founding member of Duo Esplanade (flute, clarinet) and Cosmos New Music (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano). An inventive artist, he explores a wide repertoire of classical, jazz, ethnic, pop, rock, and contemporary music.

​

Recipient of over twenty awards and distinctions, he has been honored with long list of prizes including the Dallas Clarinet Colloquium Young Artist Competition, ENKOR International Competition, San Diego Heritage Music Festival Director’s Award, Arthur W. Foote Award (finalist), and the MPE International Competition (first clarinetist to win). As a soloist, he has been featured with numerous ensembles. Recent performances include Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsodie with the Rio Hondo Symphony Orchestra, Frank Proto’s Paganini in Metropolis with the Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble, Copland’s Clarinet Concerto with the Boston Conservatory Sinfonietta, Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Big Bend Community Orchestra, Artie Shaw Concerto with the Parma Symphony Orchestra, Finzi Clarinet Concerto with the Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra, and midwest premiere of Daniel Freiberg’s Latin American Chronicles with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra.

​

An active educator, he has given masterclasses at collegiate establishments in the US and overseas, most recently at the University of Missouri Kansas City, Ithaca College, California State University at Northridge, Eastern Michigan University, Radford University, and Mimar Sinan Guzel Sanatlar Universitesi Devlet Konservatuyari in Istanbul, Turkey.

In addition, Yuasa is an avid chamber musician with large and varied repertoire, his Duo and Cosmos continually offer performances and master classes at several universities and institutions widely in southern regions. Their goal is to branch out to more community including those with limited access to the arts. He has appeared on WFSU and WGBH radios, WTXL television, Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, Florida Flute Association, National Flute Association, the International Clarinet Association’s Festival, and toured as part of the Piatigorsky Foundation. Outside of his studio, Katsuya recently taught at pianoSonoma, Summer in the City Music Camp, Marching 100 Summer Band Camp, and New York Summer Music Festival.

​

Yuasa studied under Janet Averett for his Bachelor’s at San Jose State University and Michael Norsworthy for Master’s and Artist Diploma at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He completed Doctor of Music with teachers Deborah Bish and Jonathan Holden at the Florida State University while serving as their graduate teaching assistant. Katsuya became a Yamaha Young Performing Artist in 2014. He is a member of the International Clarinet Association, College Music Society, Chamber Music America, Piatigorsky Foundation and MPE.