Mason Ishida is a composer and pianist from Northern Virginia and a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied composition with John Mallia. With over twenty years of piano study and concert experience, Mason has performed as a pianist and collaborated as a cellist in high school orchestra and at Carnegie Mellon University’s pre-college program, where he studied piano performance and composition and received a partial scholarship. He sang in the choir during his first two years at NEC. While attending the New York Summer Music Festival for three summers, he studied and performed piano and sang in the choir.
Mason’s compositions span chamber ensembles, orchestra, and solo instruments, drawing inspiration from figures like Beethoven, Scriabin, Bartók, and Shostakovich, as well as the creative energy of bands such as Nirvana and Radiohead. His works have been performed by fellow musicians at NEC’s Tuesday Night New Music concerts—some in the historic Jordan Hall—with projects including string quartets, an orchestral Suite, and MAD for Symphony Orchestra. While some pieces are awaiting their premiere, Mason treasures every step of the creative process and the shared journey of making music together.
His approach balances tradition with exploration. Mason hopes to create work that is both personal and meaningful—always learning, always growing, and deeply grateful for every opportunity to connect through music.
