A third generation musician on both sides, Gus Tomizuka’s relationship with sound extends to preverbal memories of his parents’ concerts. From playing along to cassettes on his dad’s guitar to his contemporary compositions, his work realizes a depth of craft that is the culmination of lifetimes in music.
First trained as a classical guitarist, Gus was a featured performer on NPR’s “From the Top” radio program at age 17. The next year he was recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation as a national competition winner, culminating in a concert debut at the New World Symphony Center in Miami. That summer he was invited to the Hohenloher Kultursommer in Bamberg, Germany, one of the youngest artists to play the festival in its history.
In his early 20’s, Gus broadened his scope, shifting focus to electroacoustic composition. He became a session player and producer on dozens of albums, resulting in collaborations featured by Netflix, Spotify, Apple, Worldwide FM, Bandcamp, Boiler Room and the Kennedy Center. In 2022, Gus released his first solo album, ‘Prospect & Refuge,’ which received positive critical reception from Bandcamp, A Closer Listen and BieMusic Beijing among others.
Between 2020 and 2024 Gus co-founded the record label Transitory Tapes, which collectively released 27 albums of primarily ambient and instrumental music. Among these were three live albums from Tomizuka’s improvisational ensemble, Music for Connection, whose latest work was described in KLOF Magazine as “...a record bursting with the joy of spontaneous creativity.”
In 2023, Gus and Rebeca Bollinger were awarded a grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation and MOCA Tucson to create ‘Parallel H(ear),’ a multimedia installation in a dry desert wash. This resulted in an audio companion album, ‘Chorale for Four Samples of a Dry Wash.’ In 2025, Gus joined Jim Colby and Rosie Clements in Hormone, an experimental pop trio which has garnered a cult following across several albums.
Gus has been privileged to work with a diverse range of artists, including Laraaji, Lori Goldston, Arrington de Dyoniso, Jumbo, Chetes Garza, Carrie Rodriguez, Kenny Rampton, American Monoxide, Orkesta Mendoza, Mireya Ramos and Gaby Moreno. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two cats.
First trained as a classical guitarist, Gus was a featured performer on NPR’s “From the Top” radio program at age 17. The next year he was recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation as a national competition winner, culminating in a concert debut at the New World Symphony Center in Miami. That summer he was invited to the Hohenloher Kultursommer in Bamberg, Germany, one of the youngest artists to play the festival in its history.
In his early 20’s, Gus broadened his scope, shifting focus to electroacoustic composition. He became a session player and producer on dozens of albums, resulting in collaborations featured by Netflix, Spotify, Apple, Worldwide FM, Bandcamp, Boiler Room and the Kennedy Center. In 2022, Gus released his first solo album, ‘Prospect & Refuge,’ which received positive critical reception from Bandcamp, A Closer Listen and BieMusic Beijing among others.
Between 2020 and 2024 Gus co-founded the record label Transitory Tapes, which collectively released 27 albums of primarily ambient and instrumental music. Among these were three live albums from Tomizuka’s improvisational ensemble, Music for Connection, whose latest work was described in KLOF Magazine as “...a record bursting with the joy of spontaneous creativity.”
In 2023, Gus and Rebeca Bollinger were awarded a grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation and MOCA Tucson to create ‘Parallel H(ear),’ a multimedia installation in a dry desert wash. This resulted in an audio companion album, ‘Chorale for Four Samples of a Dry Wash.’ In 2025, Gus joined Jim Colby and Rosie Clements in Hormone, an experimental pop trio which has garnered a cult following across several albums.
Gus has been privileged to work with a diverse range of artists, including Laraaji, Lori Goldston, Arrington de Dyoniso, Jumbo, Chetes Garza, Carrie Rodriguez, Kenny Rampton, American Monoxide, Orkesta Mendoza, Mireya Ramos and Gaby Moreno. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two cats.
