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Nathan Tokunaga
Nathan Tokunaga is a clarinetist and saxophonist from the San Francisco Bay Area, now studying and performing in New York City. Inspired by early jazz and continually exploring new musical boundaries, his music engages audiences across generations, bringing the joy and spirit of swing to today’s listeners. Tokunaga has performed hundreds of concerts at clubs, swing dances, festivals, and concert halls, and was named a 2026 YoungArts winner in jazz clarinet.
Awards
2026 YoungArts Winner — Jazz Clarinet
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“Jazz Clarinet Phenom Nathan Tokunaga is Going Places!” – The Syncopated Times
“Nathan Tokunaga has had a busy year. In 2025, the Peninsula-raised jazz musician helped lead the Stanford Jazz Workshop’s Miles Ahead Big Band at the Essentially Ellington competition at New York’s Lincoln Center, worked with a 50-piece orchestra and pianist Charles Chen to record Chen’s new album, and most recently received a YoungArts Award, which recognizes ‘excellence in visual, literary, and performing arts.’” — Palo Alto Weekly
Videos
Nathan Tokunaga
Location: New York City
Instrument: Clarinet
Born: December, 2006
