Composer & Pianist

A young man with glasses and dark hair looks at the camera while sitting behind an open grand piano with the lid raised, in a room with a window covered by horizontal blinds.

Mason Kaneto 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 also played cello in high school orchestra.

Mason’s music spans chamber ensembles, orchestra, and solo instruments, drawing inspiration from Beethoven, Scriabin, Bartók, and Shostakovich, as well as the creative energy of Nirvana and Radiohead. His works have been performed by fellow musicians at NEC’s Tuesday Night New Music concerts, including performances in the historic Jordan Hall. In 2025, Mason premiered An Exaggeration for Chamber Orchestra at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall.

His approach balances tradition with exploration—music shaped by emotion, craft, and curiosity. Mason is available for commissions, future performances, and scoring for video games and films.