Artists

Described by the press as ‘a remarkable cellist who possesses both intellect and innate musicality… one of the finest cellists of his generation’ (Chopin magazine, Japan), Yoshika Masuda has performed throughout Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, Mexico, the US, the UK and much of western Europe as a soloist and chamber musician. He is the winner of national competitions in Australia, Japan and the US, and was also awarded the prestigious YAMAHA Music Foundation of Europe String Award.

Chamber music forms the core of Yoshika’s musical endeavours, and he has performed alongside such renowned artists as Peter Frankl, Bruno Giuranna, Gil Kalish, Cho-Liang Lin, Alissa Margulis, Roger Tapping, Don Weilerstein, Qian Zhou and the Kronos Quartet. He is the co-founder of the SAKURA cello quintet and Darshan Trio, as well as being the resident cellist for Salastina (LA). He was also the former cellist of the Rolston Quartet.

A keen advocate of contemporary music, Yoshika has given the US & world premieres of works by Reena Esmail, Toshio Hosokawa, Derrick Skye, Bent Sørensen and Jörg Widmann.

Born in Kobe, Japan, Yoshika first started playing the cello at the age of five but moved to Australia as a young child where he began his studies with Georg Pedersen at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He then studied extensively with Hannah Roberts at the Royal Northern College of Music and Ralph Kirshbaum at the USC Thornton School of Music, whilst also receiving close musical guidance from Thomas Demenga and David Geringas.

Yoshika is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of young cellists – his students have had successes in both local and national competitions, as well as being admitted to prestigious institutions such as Juilliard, NEC, MSM and USC. Yoshika is the Assistant Professor of Cello and Director of String Studies at Chapman University Hall–Musco Conservatory of Music. He has also served on the summer faculty of the Montecito International Music Festival, Heartland Chamber Music Festival and the Yellow Barn Young Artist Program.