A biography.
Toru NOMURA
Applying his unique yet logical method and techniques, Toru Nomura brings out the true potential of each instrument to the fullest and enables thorough fitting to the person who plays on it. He is trusted by renowned professionals and hobby players alike, devoting himself to artist services for more than 20 years in Europe and in Japan combined. Prior to his current role, he studied flute and gained skills of woodwind instrument making and repair.
~~~~~
Born in Tokyo, Toru Nomura studied the flute at Musashino Academia Musicae, Tokyo / Saitama, Japan and Franz Liszt (Liszt Ferenc) Academy of Music, Budapest, Hungary under the guidance of Akira Aoki, Yuriko Koyama, Takao Saeki and Lóránt Kovács.
He then went onto learning Woodwind Instruments Making and Repair, with Geoffrey Else at Newark & Sherwood College (present Lincoln College) in Nottinghamshire, U.K., consisting of traditional skills such as forging and filing, as well as machining. Already during his time at the college he gained professional experience in flute repairs at a reputable flute shop in London, also visited many prominent American and Japanese flute makers to broaden his perspectives and carried out own researches on flutes.
After graduating from the college with Distinction, Toru Nomura joined Yamaha in 1999 as a specialised technician for flute. For 13 years he had been responsible for Research and Development, as well as Artist Services, offering instrument maintenance, repair, modification and consultation to European professional flute players at its R&D centre in Frankfurt, Germany (which later became Atelier Hamburg). During the time he also held numerous sessions of both products and prototypes evaluation with leading orchestral players, soloists, and conservatory professors among others. His prototype and customised headjoints have been sought after and chosen by some of the most respected artists playing on the manufacturer's instruments for their concert appearances and recordings.
When the company introduced its new handmade series flutes in 2011, he was mainly in charge of headjoint design, for which he has made a number of prototypes until its final specification was set. Being involved in the concept making at the initial stage of the development, marketing, and launching the products, he covered wide aspects to lead the company and its products to success. This resulted also in his appearance in a number of specialist magazine articles including solo interview. Around the same period, he developed a special order handmade piccolo which also became successful.
He returned to Japan in 2013 after two decades of life in Europe. In 2014 he established his own independent workshop, Tokyo Flute Space, in Akasaka, Tokyo. Since then he welcomes clients nationwide, along with touring artists mostly from Europe and neighbouring Asian countries. Possessing the skills and knowledge that even meet the most demanding requirements by world-renowned soloists and elite orchestral players, he also establishes a unique position by his flexible application of those essence, converted into more accessible forms, to other groups of flute players. Toru Nomura is a Certified Straubinger (TM) Flute Pad Technician.
