Kush collaborates with music researchers from Japan

Nov. 9, 2020

Jason Kush, a Slippery Rock University associate professor of music, delivered a lecture and assisted with research conducted at the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, Japan.

Kush was contacted by Yoko Kusaka, a doctoral candidate at Kunitachi, because six years ago Kush commissioned a musical composition from the late American composer David Maslanka titled “Out of This World.” Kusaka is studying Maslanka’s work, including the alto saxophone, cello and piano composition that Kush premiered at SRU in 2014, along with Paige Riggs, instructor of music, and Nanette Kaplan Solomon, professor emerita of music.

Last month, Kush conducted a lecture via Zoom for Kunitachi faculty and students related to Maslanka’s work which will be used as a source for Kusaka’s research that was accepted for publication in a Japanese music journal.