Naomi Nakanishi is a dynamic pianist, improviser, composer, currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Their work blends elements of Black American, Indie-Folk, and Contemporary Classical music, inviting listeners with intricate melodies woven with lush harmony and unconventional rhythmic phrasing. Drawing on a diverse and rich musical background, Naomi’s music aims to challenge tradition, deconstruct, and engage with genre and form while nurturing exploration within open-form improvisation.  

 

As a bandleader and sought-after collaborator, Naomi has performed on esteemed stages including Roulette Intermedium, The Kennedy Center, Dizzy’s Club, and Birdland Jazz Club. They perform original compositions with their piano trio Whimsy, jazz quartet Ikioi, and experimental trio Three-Thread, which features tap dance, synthesizer, and tenor saxophone. Naomi also composes for short films, recently premiering work at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, and regularly performs with Miranda Agnew's Teeter, Sam Margolis Sextet, Judette Elliston, and the Grace Fox Big Band.

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Recent work includes duo piece for violin and synthesizer Black Maria (2024),  commissioned piece for voice, piano, and clarinet, Mirrored Hands (2023), original film score to Oath of the Sword (2023) , and their debut EP Hear Me Speak (2022). 

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In addition to performance, Naomi is passionate about music education and serves on faculty as a private piano and group instructor at the Brooklyn Conservatory. They were a featured clinician for the 2024 Reno Jazz Festival, 2022 Women in Music Festival, 2020 Gender Equity in Music Conference at the Eastman School of Music, and have conducted multiple workshops on racial and gender equity through the Women of Jazz and Creative Music organization and the Esperanza Academy in Boston.  Naomi holds a Master’s Degree from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute led by Grammy award winning pianist, Danilo Pérez.

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Naomi seeks to inspire and continue learning from multiracial, queer coalitions, while curating more culturally rich and interactive experiences to all who listen to their music.