Tomoko Ono
I am a pianist and music teacher in Berlin, Germany. I received my D.M.A. and M.M. at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and my B.M. at Toho School of Music in Tokyo. As a performer, I especially enjoy collaborative works, accompanying, and contemporary music. As accompanist, I work with instrumentalists and vocalists of all skill levels, from beginners to professionals, for events such as concerts, recitals, auditions, competitions, masterclasses, rehearsals, and recording sessions. I have also worked as an accompanist for choirs and churches. I was a member of Illinois Modern Ensemble from 2012-2017; during this time, I was featured as soloist in works by Edmund Campion, Salvatore Martirano, and Sunyeong Pak. I have also performed in chamber and ensemble pieces by many modern masters, including Pierre Boulez, Georg Friedrich Haas, Steve Reich, Mathias Spahlinger, and Agata Zubel. During my studies at University of Illinois, I regularly collaborated student composers and presented premieres of their works. In 2014 I received the 21st Century Piano Commission Award with composer Sean Harold. I have taught piano to students of all ages, with varying skill levels and diverse musical interests. At University of Illinois I was a faculty member of the Piano Laboratory Program. My teaching philosophy is focused on musicality. I encourage my students to form their own musical opinions and express themselves in their playing. In addition to piano technique and repertoire, I instill a knowledge of music theory that the student can take forward with them as they develop.