“I love to try different things, mixing contemporary and classical music with jazz and brazilian rhythms like samba and bossa nova” -Keiko Omata

 

Keiko Omata can be best described as a performer without labels, passing though various music styles with ease and vivacity. A poliglota (she can speak in English, Japanese, Portuguese and French), Keiko was born in Tokyo, Japan where she learned piano and received a bachelors degree in French language (Caritas Junior College) and French literature (Rikyo University). While in Japan Keiko was inspired by the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Lisa Ono and became a fan of jazz and bossa nova, this eventually led her to pursue a career in performance, composition and the music business.

 

In 1994, Keiko won the grand-prix prize at the “Asakusa Jazz Festival”. This created an opportunity to travel to Australia to participate in the “Manly Jazz Festival”. With the intention to study and learn more about Brazilian music, she landed in Brazil in 1999 and started to in Rio. She continued her musical studies and eventually recieved a bachlors in Classical Music Composition from the Brasilian Conservatory of Music in 2005 (studying with Prof. Geraldo Vespar).She is now living in Rio de Janeriro, doing recitals and various shows.

 

Keiko has also worked with Roberto Menescal in a compilation CD. Actually she is working also as a conductor of choir at protestant church in Rio de Janeiro.