Meet Tomoya Ogawa

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tomoya Ogawa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tomoya, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

Being in the music industry isn’t always simple or easy, y’all know? You constantly have to stay focused, prepared, and strong enough to deal with all kinds of tough situations—unpleasant sound environments, unpredictable schedule changes, and complicated payment agreements.
Sure, playing music is always a joy, and that’s what I’m truly passionate about, but there are so many struggles that non-musicians often overlook. On top of that, some people are sensitive and get nervous about being judged based on what they play, which makes them overly afraid of making mistakes.
But we’re all human—nobody’s perfect. We all aim to be unconditionally professional and precise, but sometimes, accidents happen. That’s just part of the deal.
What really helps me is knowing myself deeply. I know where my strengths lie, what skills I bring to the table, and also where my weaknesses are. For example, I’m good at interacting with other instrumental players, adding spontaneous color to the music, and working with the band to control dynamic levels during a performance.
If the band gets confused about the song structure, I can step up and help lead us back on track. I also have a range of ideas for articulation, intonation, and tone control, so I can shape notes like they’re being sung—or even make them sound like other instruments. This kind of self-awareness gives me confidence in what I play.
Plus, I’m always competing with my past self. Even if I mess up during a performance, I encourage myself to play even more beautifully right after. I believe the only real way to overcome mistakes is to grow from them—no one else can do that for you. We learn, evolve, and keep going. That’s just how life works.
I guess I’m not so focused on impressing everyone. What drives me more is self-improvement. And that mindset is what helps me stay consistently optimistic.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’ve been performing guitar professionally since I settled in NYC in 2013. Fortunately, I’ve had hundreds of opportunities to play with incredibly talented people at hip events, prestigious venues, and vibrant festivals. To name a few: Casa Cipriani, The Pierre Hotel, Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center, The Bitter End, The Red Lion, The Red Pavilion, and many more. One of the coolest things about being based in the NYC area is the chance to connect and collaborate with people from diverse musical, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. I’ve learned so much from them—and at the same time, I’ve realized that when we truly connect through music, and approach it with respect and passion, nothing gets in the way of that connection.
Aside from performing, I love composing music. My musical interests are pretty broad, and most of my ideas come out spontaneously—so naturally, the music I write blends a variety of styles: Jazz, Blues, Latin, Funk, Contemporary Classical, Electronica, Rock, and more. I never try to narrow myself to one particular genre, because that would limit the creative flow and disrupt the momentum of ideas.
Interestingly, I don’t even define myself as just a guitarist, even though I’m active as a professional one. I love improvisation, and to me, improvising is really just composing melodies in real time. When I play with others in a band, I try to respond with something I’ve never played before—something that complements or brings out the phrases someone else just laid down. Sometimes, I even take a step back and observe what’s going on musically, filling in missing layers or textures. That kind of awareness comes from my mindset as a composer, and it’s been a huge asset for staying creative during performances.
Since 2023, I’ve been leading a band called Cinema Paradiso, where we jam on music from movie soundtracks. Film music often features a wide range of instrumentation—from full orchestras and jazz big bands to stripped-down rock or blues combos. My first step is always to listen deeply to the original score, decide which melodies or sections to preserve, then condense it all into a 4-piece ensemble and assign parts accordingly. Organizing this project is both challenging and deeply fulfilling, and I constantly draw on everything I’ve learned about composition to make it work.
Now I have a pile of original compositions and I keep writing more. I can’t wait to record and release them in the near future—hopefully, I’ll get the chance to do it this year.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

First and foremost, a strong sense of rhythm is one of the most important qualities a musician should have. I enjoy composing music that’s groove-oriented or explores irregular beat groupings—both intentionally and unintentionally. Having a wide rhythmic vocabulary also helps you become a more distinctive melody maker. On stage, it’s essential to build a solid groove and time-feel through interaction with the other rhythm instruments. I think I naturally developed a good sense of rhythm, probably because I listened to The Beatles a lot growing up. Even now, I continue to practice rhythm to further refine my sense of timing and feel.

Honestly, I’m not a naturally logical person—I rely heavily on intuition and impression when listening to music. But if you want to incorporate cool ideas you’ve heard into your own compositions or performances, a solid understanding of music theory and the ability to analyze is necessary. It takes a lot of time, study, and practice—especially for someone like me—but it’s incredibly rewarding when you can understand what other musicians are doing, absorb those ideas into your own vocabulary, and combine them spontaneously in your own way.

When I perform live, I always focus on sharpening my expressive skills. Audiences truly listen when you play from the heart—when your performance reflects something you genuinely want to express. Even if your notes are technically correct, if they don’t come from your heart and soul, the music can be unlistenable. Expressiveness also leads to natural body language, which helps you connect with fellow musicians and share dynamics more intuitively as collaborators.

I believe that being open-minded about musical styles is key to a successful career. Wherever there’s music, there’s culture and people. We should respect all of it—by doing so, we open ourselves up to learning more, building meaningful connections, and gaining more opportunities to express ourselves.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

I would travel all over the world, experience different cultures, and eat regional, authentic cuisines every single day. I’d also want to try activities I’ve never done before—like jet-skiing, skydiving, and boxing. And I bet, I’d keep writing music on the road no matter what.

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Image Credits

Vanessa Andrade, Graci Liano Zambonin, Jenny Herbst, Greg Jones, Yuichi Hirakawa, Genevieve Faivre, Motonori Kobayashi, Beauty Das, Rajib Rahman, “TJ” Ashfaque Ahmed, Geo Suquillo, Oscar Echeverria, New Haven Ministries

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