Jason Kush
Jason Kush is an active saxophonist, educator, and scholar. Kush earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Miami after obtaining his Master of Music degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and his undergraduate degree in Music Education, magna cum laude, from Slippery Rock University.
Kush has performed as a soloist and ensemble member in wide variety of genres in the United States and Europe. His Carnegie Hall debut occurred in 1998 with a performance by the All-Eastern U.S. High School Honors Band, with a return visit in 2008 to premier Christopher Rouse’s “Wolf Rounds.” Kush went on to perform extensively with the New World Symphony, including a five-week tour of Paris, Normandy, and Spain. Kush also has performed several concerts with the Russian National Orchestra during consecutive U.S. tours. Currently, Kush performs with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Pops Orchestras. As in addition to orchestral performance, Kush has performed as a free-lance saxophonist with the Woody Herman Orchestra, the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Daniels, Christian McBride, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Benny Golson, Kevin Mahogany, Wayne Bergeron, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Dave Koz, Andrea Bocelli, Barry Manilow, Patti LuPone, Michael Feinstein, Johnny Mathis, the Temptations, the Supremes, the O’Jays, and the Four Tops, among many others. In addition to live performances, Kush recorded with Sixth Species, the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, Hector el Father, the South 9 Ensemble, the Nathan Douds Ensemble, as well as Eddie Daniels, Tom Scott, and the Henri Mancini Institute Big Band, an album that received a double Grammy Nomination in 2006.
Kush’s scholarly work includes a dissertation on the life and innovations of Belgian inventor François Louis, as well as feature articles and interviews in various magazines and journals pertaining to saxophone performance and pedagogy, including in Saxophone Journal, Polyphonic.org, and The Instrumentalist. In addition to extensive performance and scholarly activity, Dr. Kush held positions at Barry University and the New World School of the Arts, in Miami, Florida. Currently, Dr. Kush teaches saxophone, improvisation, and jazz ensembles at his undergraduate alma mater, Slippery Rock University.
GEAR
SOPR500 | Sopranino Saxophone
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