ABOUT KANA KAMITSUBO
A classical and jazz pianist as well as a board-certified
music therapist born in Kobe, Japan, Ms. Kana Kamitsubo,
MT-BC, began her music career at the age of three. Kana has
received a strong and unique music education both in Japan
and the U.S., with concentrations in classical, jazz, and
music therapy. In 2008, Kana graduated Summa Cum Laude from
Berklee College of Music in Boston, for which she was
awarded the Berklee World Scholarship throughout her school
years. She was recognized for her excellent academic
achievements in music therapy and received a number of
awards and scholarships including the Gary Burton Music
Therapy Scholarship, the highest award of the music therapy
department given to her by the former Berklee Executive Vice
President, Gary Burton himself. Kana also finished her
diploma in contemporary music and jazz piano at Koyo
Conservatory in Kobe, Japan. Furthermore, she has earned an
Association of Arts Degree in classical piano from Osaka
Music College in Osaka, Japan. Kana has been performing with
a variety of professional musicians in different genres of
music. Her annual concert with Umi, a famous Japanese female
singer who sang the sound track music for the world-renowned
animation movie, “Spirited Away” (2001) by Hayao Miyazaki,
is always a very successful and festive performance event in
Japan.
Kana has been teaching piano for over 10 years to students
of all ages. She appreciates and enjoys the differences of
each student and respects the student’s own pace and
characteristics. Because of her unique musical background
and experiences as a classical and jazz pianist and a music
therapist, she customizes her teaching approaches to meet
her students’ needs and requirements and motivate students
in learning piano. With her expertise in music therapy, she
has numerous experiences in working with diverse populations
with special needs, including autism, ADHD, physical
difficulties, mental disorders, cancer, and dementia.
Currently, Kana is a faculty member at Belle Arti Center for
the Arts and at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music working with
children with behavioral issues in groups and individual
settings.
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EDUCATION
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Bachelor of Music, Berklee College of Music, Boston,
MA
- Music therapy/ Piano principal
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Diploma of Contemporary Music (Master’s class), Koyo
Conservtory, Kobe, Japan,
- Jazz Piano Performance
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Association of Arts, Osaka College of Music, Osaka,
Japan
-Classical Piano Performance
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LICENSES AND OTHER SKILLS
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Board Certified Music Therapist, MT-BC (2008)
- Fluent in Japanese and English
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TEACHING EXPERIENCES
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Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Brooklyn, NY
- Teaching piano lessons to children with autism and
behavioral issues.
- Occasionally teaching jazz piano lessons to students all
ages.
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Taught piano lessons to cancer patients.
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Private Studio, Kobe, Japan
- Taught classical and jazz piano lessons to students of all
ages
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MUSIC THERAPY EXPERIENCES
Clinical experiences:
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Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Music School, Brooklyn,
NY Work with children with behavioral issues and autism.
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Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, Skilled Nursing
Home, Bronx, NY Worked with adults and elderly with
neurological dysfunctions.
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Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA
Worked with children in Bone-Morrow Transplant unit.
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Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Mental Hospital, Jamaica
Plain, MA Worked with psychiatric patients
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Sherrill House, Long Term Care Facility, Jamaica Plain, MA
Worked with elderly people with dementia
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Kennedy Day School, Special Needs School, Brighton, MA
Worked with children with severe to mild physical disabilities
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PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCES
Classical:
David Friend Recital Hall, Boston, MA
Berklee College of Music Recital Hall, Boston, MA
Berklee General Education Symposium, Boston, MA
Slosberg Recital Hall, Walthsam, MA
Rokko Hall, Kobe, Japan
Jazz and popular:
Lawrence and Alma Berk Recital Hall, Boston, MA
David Friend Recital Hall, Boston, MA
Blue Note Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Yorozuya Soubei, Kobe, Japan
Jazz Club “Creole”, Kobe, Japan
Quatro, Osaka Japan
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TRAININGS
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Performance Wellness Teacher Training I with Dr. Louise
Montello (2008) Acquainted with techniques and knowledge that
prevent musicians from stage fright, performance injury, and
other performance related disorders in order to enhance their
better performances.
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UNITED STATES PIANO
STUDIES
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JoAnne Brackeen, Berklee College of Music in Boston.
World famous jazz pianist.
- Edward Bedner, Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Renowned classical pianist among New England region.
- Jeff Covell, Berklee College of Music in Boston. Jazz
pianist, composer, educator and an author of Modern Music
for Piano series and Modern Method for Piano series.
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