Keisuke, a German-Japanese native, is a professional music instructor with focus in electric and acoustic guitars, electric bass, musicianship development, improvisation, and songwriting. He is familiar in various contemporary music genres, including rock/pop, jazz, blues, and electronic music, as well as in western and eastern music traditions.
He has been teaching individual students of all ages and levels and various jazz and rock bands in Germany, Switzerland, and the U.S. for more than 13 years. Having gained additional teaching experience at New York University as an adjunct music instructor, Keisuke is currently on faculty at Rubato Music School and other schools in New York City. Additionally, he is part of the core faculty at an annual high school summer band camp in Berlin, Germany and has been invited to hold master classes and workshops as an artist-in-residence at numerous international music festivals.
Besides his teaching activities, Keisuke is an active professional musician and recording artist. Besides his own bands based in NYC and Berlin, he is working with various pop/rock, jazz, singer/songwriter, electro-acoustic, and avant-garde groups. Highlights include collaborations with Grammy Award winner Joe Lovano, Wayne Krantz (Steely Dan), Lenny Pickett (Saturday Night Live, Katy Perry); NYC performances at Carnegie Hall, Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Alice Tully Hall, St. Peter’s Church; international appearances at Cork Jazz Festival (IRE), Jarasum Jazz Festival (KOR), Panama Jazz Festival (PAN), Berlin Olympic Stadium (GER); record releases on Traumton Rec. (GER), Clang Rec. (DEN), Unit Rec. (SUI); TV and radio productions on RBB (GER), Radio SRF 2 Kultur (SUI), EBS (KOR).
Keisuke graduated from New York University (M.M.), Lucerne School of Music in Switzerland (M.A.), and Liszt School of Music Weimar in Germany (B.A. and Postgraduate Certificate). His teachers and mentors include John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Vijay Iyer, Brad Shepik, Ralph Alessi, and Mark Turner.
What will make a student learn best?
Since nobody is alike and also because every day is not the same, there is no single, best way of learning and improving, but many different ways. However, I believe a student can learn best if he/she is equipped (or will be equipped) with a good balance of qualities, such as being curious, motivated, open-minded, patient, and having the willingness to trust. Individually adapted lessons and the experience of the teacher should nourish the process of an enjoyable and fun learning process.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I enjoy being part of the student’s learning process when I teach. The moment the student asks questions out of his/her sudden awaken, urgent interest and curiosity makes me smile; the moment the student points out a mistake I made because he/she is so connected to the element makes me laugh (and motivates me to be a better teacher); the moment the student stops being a student and makes pure music makes me very proud.