Music

Hello, and thank you for your interest in my music!

About me: My name is Nick Takénobu Ogawa, and I’m a cellist and composer. I perform using my middle name  Takénobu, which means “Iron-Will” in Japanese. Takénobu is a traditional Japanese name that comes from the combination of the Kanji (Japanese characters) in my father and grandfather’s first names.

I grew up in a rural town in Vermont where I spent a lot of time playing in the woods with my dogs and started taking cello lessons when I was 6 years old. I trained classically until I was 18, when I started to get bored of traditional classical music, and I started to branch out and began playing bluegrass, blues, and other non-traditional music for the cello. When I was 20, I spent a year living in Kyoto Japan with my dad and during that time focused primarily on improving myself as a cellist, and singer, while exploring the city and its temples and other cultural wonders.

While in Kyoto I taught myself to sing and play at the same time, and began seriously writing music that I could perform. Since then I’ve lived  in New York, Philadelphia, Vancouver BC, and now Atlanta. I taught myself how to compose and produce music using Apple Logic recording software and a laptop, and I’m always exploring new ways of using the rich sound and dynamic range of the cello to make new, interesting, and beautiful music.

If you are new to my music, here are a couple of examples of the kind of music I make:

(Instrumental) Thursday:

(Instrumental) Exposition:

(Instrumental) The Voyage Home

(Cello with Vocals) Shady Grove:

If you like my music and are interested in buying it (which is very admirable of you!) you can purchase my albums directly from me, which is the best way to support me, as I make my living from my music: http://listen.takenobumusic.com

Albums and individual songs from it are also available on . You can search for Artist: Takenobu and I’ll come up.

Pandora internet radio has been introducing me to a lot of new people, and that’s really incredible. It’s  amazing that there are so many people who make a conscious effort to support independent musicians. It’s because of this support that I can continue to make new music for people to enjoy. It’s as if each listener is an individual patron, helping me to come out with new and better music, and I think it’s a very mutually beneficial relationship.

If you are so inclined, you can also really help me out by promoting my music: Post a link to Takénobu tracks on your facebook, twitter, or blog. Or email a youtube video to your friends. Also, be sure to keep track of takenobu live shows and come out to see one!

Thanks for reading and listening, and for your support!

Nick Takénobu Ogawa