Toko Inomoto

Toko Inomoto is a masterful violist and violinist whose musical journey bridges the rich traditions of Japan with the refined artistry of Europe and the vibrant orchestral life of Asia. Born in Kumamoto, Japan to a family of Suzuki violin pedagogues, she began violin under her mother’s guidance and joined the Kumamoto Youth Orchestra at age 7— an ensemble founded with the help of her parents, and one of Asia’s oldest youth orchestras.

She holds a Master of Arts from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, where she pursued academic and musical excellence while actively performing as a freelance orchestral musician in Tokyo. She later completed a double major in Violin and Viola at the Konservatorium der Stadt Wien (City of Vienna Conservatory), graduating with Distinction in Viola Performance.

From 2000 to 2012, Toko was a full-time violist with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, contributing to symphonic, chamber, and contemporary music series while serving as a regular coach for the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (MPYO). Her playing is praised for its tonal warmth, interpretative intelligence, and ensemble finesse.

Her international recognition includes appointments as Principal Violist of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and the Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO). She later returned as Viola Coach for AYO’s 25th Anniversary Season in Hong Kong in 2015, and has since resumed this role in Bergamo,  Italy (from 2022) and Hong Kong (from 2024).Toko is also a frequent guest performer with regional orchestras, including the Macau Orchestra, and remains a highly respected chamber musician and pedagogue.

She now brings her artistry, insight, and global experience to the Hsia & Goh Chamber Orchestra as a Core Faculty Member and Viola Mentor, playing a central role in shaping the orchestra’s mission to elevate Southeast Asian classical performance to world-class standards.