A Conductor and a Composer, General Music Director
Born in Tokyo. Graduated top of his class from the Kunitachi College of Music, Department of Composition. Finished his Chorus Conductor master course at Kodaly Institute in Kecskemet, Hungary; Studied under Yuzuru Shimaoka, Koichi Uzaki, Thomas Meyer-Fiebig, Mohay Miklós for composing, Late Remenyi Janos, Erdei Péter for chorus conducting, Masamitsu Takahashi for orchestral conducting, and Somoriai Paula for singing.
Studies choral music from various aspects, such as conducting, composing, and education.
He energetically composes and arranges chorus pieces for national audiences in Japan and many of his works have been performed throughout the world. His recent works are; “Everyone Sang”, “Utamai”, “Missa Secunda”, “Missa Tertia”, “Jubilate Deo – psalm100”.
He conducts and directs ten choirs which make up the group called “Koyukai”. Many of his choirs have won many excellent prizes in choral competitions in Japan and beyond.
On numerous occasions he has been invited as a guest conductor, a jury, and a lecturer for chorus workshops, giving informative instructions in various places. Besides, Matsushita himself received the best conductor’s award and prizes for superior composition in various international competitions. In 2005, he became the first Asian to receive “Robert Edler Prize for Choral Music” for his outstanding work in promoting choral music in the world as a choral conductor, a composer or a choral group. Last year Matsushita received excellent prizes in “Marktoberdolf International Chamber Music Contest” (Germany) and “Tolosa Choral Contest” (Spain), his choir is invited to “3rd World Showcase and Market-place for choral singing” in Polyfolia, France from the end of October to early November, 2008.
Matsushita now has a radio program called “Viva ! Chorus” in NHK-FM, in every Sunday evening at 9:00pm. A Lecturer at Kunitachi College of Music. Vice president of Tokyo Chorus Association. And he is a member of the Japan Choral Directors Association, The Japanese Society for the Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers, The Japan Kodaly Society and the International Kodaly Society. Representative of the Workshop of the Choral Expression. General Music Director for Karuizawa Chorus Festival.
