John Kurokawa is Lecturer of Clarinet at Wright State University (WSU). In addition to teaching applied clarinet, he teaches courses in woodwind chamber music, woodwind pedagogy and music education. Kurokawa's performances have been praised for their "...warmth, communication and easy virtuosity" (Cincinnati Enquirer), and for his "truly flawless technique and intonation...a tone as smooth as silk and velvet" (Kettering-Oakwood Times).
Kurokawa performs as Principal Clarinet of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. He has been a featured soloist with both ensembles, performing the works of Mozart, John Williams, Gerald Finzi and John Adams. Additional solo appearances include performances with the WSU Chamber Orchestra as well as with the Bach Society of Dayton and WSU Wind Symphony performing Michael Daugherty's "Brooklyn Bridge for Solo Clarinet and Symphonic Band." In the summer, Kurokawa performs as Principal Clarinet of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra during its Summermusik festival. He has also performed as guest Eb Clarinet and guest Principal Clarinet with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
An avid chamber musician, Kurokawa gives educational concerts at schools all over the Miami Valley with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Woodwind Quintet. He is a founding member of the Prestige Clarinet Quartet, which has been a featured ensemble at the Oklahoma University Clarinet Symposium, International Clarinet Association's ClarinetFest, Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Conference and The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference. Kurokawa has performed at the International Double Reed Society Conference, published articles in OMEA's Triad and presented at the OMEA Conference. In 2013, he was one of twenty faculty members recognized by Wright State University with an Excellence in Teaching Award for General Education.
Kurokawa holds a BM in Woodwind Performance (specializing in clarinet, flute and saxophone) from Bowling Green State University and a MM in Clarinet Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. His teachers include Angelo Fortini, Edward Marks and Ronald de Kant.
