Pianist Masachika Kusano Homepage

Studied at Kunitachi Music High School attached to Kunitachi College of Music and majored in piano performance at the faculty of musical performance of Toho Gakuen School of Music.

Took lessons from Ms Noriko Komatsu, professor of Kunitachi College of Music, Mr. Masayasu Oshima, professor of Toho Gakuen School of Music and Mr. Peter Solymos, guest professor from Hungary to Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts.

Since his debut in 1973, Masachika Kusano has placed his career base on live stage performances. Playing with Piano Concerto of Grieg with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in January 1976, he received favorable attention and recognition as a concert pianist of great promise for his impeccable technique and unparalleled musical talent.

He has performed piano concertos with many orchestras, such as Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, and others. His activities include joint concerts with cellists, violinists, etc., chamber concerts with WIENER OKTETT, etc. and playing for radio broadcasts such as NHK-FM, etc., in addition to his own recitals and series of intimate salon-style concerts.

Currently focusing his music activities on solo recitals in Japan and abroad with programs consisting mainly of Romantic pieces.

In the Romantic period, the piano eloquently expressed itself through the talent of maestros whose performances were highly exciting and even sensuous, sometimes. This period was soon swept over by the gale of the anti-Romanticism movement, however, and in the course of time, much of the repertoire disappeared and playing styles changed accordingly. Only a very small number of pianists, Horowitz and Cherkassky, inherited the tradition of splendid playing and repertoire, under the banner of Romanticism. Now that both of them have passed away and the times have moved into the 21st century, there are again signs of reevaluating piano playing of the Romantic period.You would be surprised if I were to say that there is a pianist in Japan who took up this trend 30 years in advance and has played Opera Fantasy by Liszt, Waltz Paraphrase by Godowsky, and others as part of his repertoire. Masachika Kusano is that very person. Although more and more pianists have recently taken up Romantic works, what creates a clear departure from these current pianists is Kusano’s playing style. It may not be exaggerating to say that his magnificent and dynamic playing style represents that of the maestros of the Romantic period. In fact, Mr Shura Cherkassky listened to his playing and, recognizing his talent and quality as a concert pianist, offered the following tribute.