In this episode Listen to a conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and Brooklyn based composer, violinist and educator from Japan Tomoko Omura as we talk about how she discovered playing Jazz on the violin, the way she finds inspiration for her composition, and balancing her art's life and motherhood. About Tomoko Omura Tomoko Omura is a composer, violinist and educator. Named #1 Rising Star Violinist by Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll in 2021, she has released six albums as a leader.“Branches Vol. 2” (2021) was named Bandcamp’s “Best Jazz of 2021”. She has been featured on major publications, including Grammy.com, WBGO Jazz United and The Pulse, Strings magazine, Jazz Sessions, AllAboutJazz. Originally from Shizuoka, Japan, she started violin under her mother's instruction. Almost quitting the violin in her teens, she discovered jazz when her brother was listening to "Kind Of Blue" by Miles Davis and fell in love with it. She moved to the U.S. to study at Berklee College of Music and relocated to New York after to pursue her dream of jazz violin. She became a mother in 2020 and is living in Brooklyn with her son, her partner and a pianist, Glenn Zaleski and her cat. She is a faculty member at Jazz House KiDS, leading the new String program. Instagram Website About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. Stream the Album Buy it on Bandcamp and get the chocolate! More about Vivienne here Follow the podcast on your favorite platform