"The Best Jazz on Bandcamp: February 2026"

- Audiophile Audition

"dazzling"
- DownBeat

“Top February Jazz Releases"

“Meg Okura demonstrates both purpose and perspicacity.”

- Andrey Henkin, JazzTimes

"Meg Okura stands among today’s most distinctive musical visionaries."

“mature, original composer of enormous talent.”

- Filipe Freitas, Jazz Trail

“a masterful ear for orchestration, vivid sense of humor and planetary range.

...Gil Evans-worthy orchestrations”

- Paul de Barros, DownBeat

"grandiloquent beauty that transitions easily from grooves to big cascades to buoyant swing."

The New York Times

EXPLORE

“truly an original… an artist fully in touch with her identity, her place in the world, and the voice she uses to express herself… Isaiah is beautiful and rewarding… her arrangement of Michael Brecker’s ‘African Skies’ is positively stunning.”

— Craig Byrd, Cultural Attaché

"The Best Jazz on Bandcamp: February 2026

...vibrant and expressive… with drama, whimsy and melodies that breathe naturally.”

- Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Daily

“A truly multi-genre masterpiece....superb from beginning to end! ...electric excitement that fascinates, and does not let go."

★★★★★

- Jeff Krow, Audiophile Auditions

“A profound musical statement—emotionally rich, expansive, and visionary.”

- Regina Carter,

NEA Jazz Master

Go to ISAIAH

EVENTS

Monday, July 13, 2026

Absolute Blue

Ikebukuro, Tokyo

Meg Okura Trio feat. Yotam Ishay and Kan Yanome

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Hamptons Jazz Fest

The Church

48 Madison St, Sag Harbor

Meg Okura Quintet

feat. Sam Newsome

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Birdland Jazz Club

New York City

Michael Brecker Quindectet

feat. Donny McCaslin

Thursday, October 15, 2026

Mott Community College Memorial Auditorium

Flint, MI

AdaMa Quartet

Thursday, October 17, 2026

Humanity in Harmony Music Festival

Mott Community College Memorial Auditorium

Flint, MI

AdaMa Quartet

other artists TBA

Tuesday, March 23, 2027

Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall

New York, NY

AdaMa Quartet

*a sideman gig

Thinking Together

Connect with MEG on Substack

go to Substack

RECENT HONORS

Symphonic Jazz Orchestra George Duke Commissioning Prize

The Symphonic Jazz Orchestra is pleased to announce Meg Okura as the recipient of SJO’s 9th Annual George Duke Commissioning Prize. This prize was created to honor the legacy of George Duke, SJO’s Co-Music Director from 2004 until his passing in 2013.

Meg Okura is an acclaimed jazz violinist, composer, and bandleader whose musical journey has been defined by innovative cross-cultural collaborations. Her unique artistic vision bridges classical training, jazz improvisation, and multicultural influences. READ MORE on Culver City Crossroads

ISJAC Fundamental Freedoms Commission Prize

Meg Okura was awarded the prestigious 2023 International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers Fundamental Freedoms Commission Prize. The world premiere of her latest big band work, "Silent Screams: An Anthem for the Unheard," took place on May 18, 2024, during the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers Symposium at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. The piece was brought to life by the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra, featuring a captivating tenor saxophone solo by Jeff Coffin and a performance by Meg Okura on the violin, all under the direction of Grammy-nominated composer Mike Holober.

Asian Cultural Council
Individual Fellowship 2024

Meg Okura was awarded the prestigious 2024 Individual Fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council.

Her fellowship research will take place in 2026, when she will travel across Vietnam—from Pleiku to Sa Pa—to study the musical traditions of indigenous communities, including the Jarai and Hmong peoples. Through visits to different regions, Okura will observe and learn about local musical practices and cultural contexts through independent field research.

LunART Festival

Meg Okura has been awarded the LunART for Scores 2024. Her captivating piece "Phantasmagoria" was performed at the LunART 2024 Festival, featuring magnificent musicians, Alicia Lee on clarinet, Isabella Lippi on violin, and Magdalena Sas on cello. This performance highlights Okura's innovative compositional style and her contribution to contemporary Classical music.

WATCH their performance of "Phantasmagoria" on YOUTUBE

BRIO Awards

Meg Okura has proudly received the BRIO Awards for the second time, being recognized for her outstanding work in Musical Composition in both 2024 and 2022. This prestigious honor, awarded by Bronx Council On The Arts, highlights her exceptional talent and contributions to the music scene in New York. Her dedication and creativity continue to inspire many making her an important figure in the community. Congratulations to Meg Okura on this remarkable achievement!

The International Alliance for Women in Music 2023 Search for New Music Competition

Congratulations to all of the women composers who won the International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM) the 2023 Search for New Music Competition! We are thrilled to share that Meg Okura has been awarded the 2023 Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble Prize This recognition highlights the incredible talent and creativity of women composers in the music industry. We look forward to seeing how these artists continue to shape the future of music!

Fall 2023 Jazz Road Artist

Meg Okura and Kevin Hays are thrilled to their recent success in winning the Fall 2023 Jazz Road Tours grant, enabling them to take their dynamic jazz duo on tour across Hawaii. As a talented jazz composer and violinist, Meg Okura teams up with the exceptional pianist Kevin Hays to deliver original compositions and fresh interpretations of jazz standards. Their musical journey commenced in Harlem in 2014, culminating in their debut performance at the renowned "Stone" in New York City in 2016. Join them as they continue to captivate audiences with their innovative sound and passion for jazz.

"achingly beautiful"

Jim McNeely

composer/pianist

"...the premiere violinist, jazz or otherwise, of our time."

The New York City Jazz Record

“sincere, awe-inspiring...

ecstatic glory”

MEG OKURA

COMPOSER | VIOLINIST

"The Best Jazz on Bandcamp: February 2026"

- Audiophile Audition

ISAIAH

Meg Okura | Pan Asian Chamber
Jazz Ensemble
Co-produced with Remy Le Boeuf
featuring Randy Brecker

"dazzling"
- DownBeat

"grandiloquent beauty that transitions easily from grooves to big cascades to buoyant swing."

The New York Times

EVENTS

RECENT HONORS

Symphonic Jazz Orchestra George Duke Commissioning Prize

ISJAC Fundamental Freedoms Commission Prize

Asian Cultural Council
Individual Fellowship 2024

LunART Festival

BRIO Awards

The International Alliance for Women in Music 2023 Search for New Music Competition

Fall 2023 Jazz Road Artist

"achingly beautiful"

"The Best Jazz on Bandcamp: February 2026"

- Audiophile Audition

ISAIAH

Meg Okura | Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble Co-produced with Remy Le Boeuf featuring Randy Brecker

"dazzling" - DownBeat

"grandiloquent beauty that transitions easily from grooves to big cascades to buoyant swing." The New York Times

EVENTS

RECENT HONORS

Symphonic Jazz Orchestra George Duke Commissioning Prize

ISJAC Fundamental Freedoms Commission Prize

Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship 2024

LunART Festival

BRIO Awards

The International Alliance for Women in Music 2023 Search for New Music Competition

Fall 2023 Jazz Road Artist

"achingly beautiful"

Meg Okura | Pan Asian Chamber
Jazz Ensemble
Co-produced with Remy Le Boeuf
featuring Randy Brecker

"dazzling"
- DownBeat

"grandiloquent beauty that transitions easily from grooves to big cascades to buoyant swing."

The New York Times

Asian Cultural Council
Individual Fellowship 2024