Saxophonist Erena Terakubo joins the faculty of MSU College of Music Jazz Studies program in Fall 2025.
Saxophonist and educator Erena Terakubo is bringing her high standards, dedication to jazz traditions, and commitment to building community to her new role as Assistant Professor of Jazz Saxophone at Michigan State University. Born and raised in Sapporo, Japan, her fascination with saxophone began at age nine with a novelty toy.
The toy, a gift from her father, was a candy jar shaped like an M&M holding a saxophone. The instrument looked interesting, and it sparked her curiosity. That led to her parents taking her to her first jazz concert, and she was drawn to the saxophone. She soon borrowed her older cousin’s saxophone, and years of hard work later, she has become an excellent addition to the MSU Jazz Studies faculty.
“In Sapporo, like Michigan, it gets really cold, and it snows so much,” Terakubo explained. “With not much else to do at home, practicing became my focus. During breaks from school, I tried to practice 10 or 12 hours a day. When I’m not eating or sleeping, I’m practicing.”
That discipline paid off early with Terakubo recording her debut album, North Bird, while still in high school. The album reached number one on the Japanese jazz charts and earned Swing Journal’s Gold Disc award.
Erena Terakubo, age 10, performing on saxophone. At this young age, she began with jazz and has never looked back, though her performance career includes concerts with orchestras.
“Sapporo had junior jazz big band where we auditioned and practiced with friends from different schools every weekend, and they had special guests like Herbie Hancock or Sadao Watanabe. We had a chance to really listen to professional players in person,” Terakubo said.
Her exposure to top artists, public performance opportunities she had to perform publicly, and disciplined practice attracted the attention of producers. They heard about her work and traveled to hear her for themselves.
Yasohachi “88” Itoh (known as Eighty-Eight) was one of those producers, and he asked who she would like to perform with on her first album. Terakubo simply named the people she was enjoying listening to at the time, and Mr. 88 said he would make it happen. Next thing she knew, she was in the studio with Kenny Barron, Christian McBride, Peter Bernstein, and Lee Pearson. She has gone on to record five more albums.
Her live performances and recordings have included collaborations with the performers on her first album plus renowned jazz musicians like Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, and Lewis Nash. She has appeared at venues including Blue Note Tokyo and New York, the Kennedy Center, and the Hollywood Bowl. Now, MSU music students will benefit from her expertise.
A concert at the United Nations is one of several high profile events Erena Terakubo (center, saxophone) has performed, providing her with experiences she can share as she mentors MSU jazz students.
“I deeply value what MSU Jazz Studies values, which is embracing the full spectrum of jazz music,” Terakubo said. “The amount of respect all the professors have for the entire jazz idiom is something I love about the program, and I’m excited to mentor students in the same way.”
Her admiration for MSU’s jazz program runs deep. She cites the strength of its faculty and the character of its alumni as key reasons for joining.
“I know so many MSU graduates in New York, and they all have this sense of community,” she said. “Each person I run into, they are not only a great musician, but also a great human, and that was very appealing.”
Erena Terakubo has performed and recorded extensively with some of the biggest names in jazz, and she is excited to become part of a jazz program at MSU that shares her philosophy.
She’s excited to work alongside her Jazz Studies colleagues, and she cited the mentorship philosophy of Rodney Whitaker, the program’s long-time director, as resonating with her own philosophy.
“Erena is a gifted musician who serves as an inspiration and source of encouragement for aspiring musicians. Her exceptional skills will undoubtedly enrich the musical environment and contribute to the Jazz Studies program, both within and outside the classroom,” Whitaker said. “I am particularly thrilled about her potential to make a remarkable impact in the Jazz Studies Area at Michigan State University. Additionally, she shares our philosophy of ‘Each One, Teach One’ and mentorship.”
Terakubo’s teaching approach emphasizes tone, technique, and style. A special bonus for all her students is that she can focus on doubling – playing flute and clarinet in addition to saxophone – because it is a way to have a higher demand in the marketplace as a professional musician.
A positive culture is a must for her studio. “I want to develop trust with each student because I think trust is most important,” she said. “I will strive to make an environment where students can talk to me about anything, about their music or how they are feeling. And they should help each other in school and long after school.”
Among many strong attributes that Erena Terakubo brings to MSU students is her varied performance experiences and the ability to teach them to double – the ability to perform jazz on clarinet and flute in addition to saxophone.
Terakubo’s focus on the overall wellbeing of her students stems from her experiences with mentors. She learned that a musician’s growth is shaped not only by technical mastery but by lessons in professionalism and communication.
“While playing is one of the most important aspects of being a professional musician, communication and professionalism matter even more—knowing how to speak to others with respect, being on time, and communicating effectively are keys to success,” she said.
Terakubo credits all her mentors for giving her a great example of how to manage a music career with kindness and diplomacy. Now that she is a mentor herself, she intends to continue that tradition.
As she prepares to begin her new role, Terakubo is energized by the opportunity to help her students grow while also growing herself as a member of the MSU Jazz Studes faculty.
“I’m so excited to meet each one of my students and to work and develop a great environment for all of us,” she said. “I’m open to learning anything, and everything is a learning experience. As my students are trying to be better musicians, I’m trying to be a better educator, too. That’s my priority right now.”
