One of the leading American koto performers in the traditional and jazz arenas, Reiko Obata studied under masters in the U.S. and Japan, including Mde. Masazumi Mizuno in San Diego, Mde. Kayoko Wakita in Los Angeles, and composer virtuoso Shinichi Yuize in Tokyo. Reiko has music master's degrees from San Diego State University and the Seiha Conservatory of Japanese Music. A versatile and accomplished koto player, Obata has performed as a soloist with Orchestra Nova under the direction of Jung-Ho Pak. She has also performed with the legendary jazz saxophonist Hollis Gentry; San Diego Symphony cellist Mary Oda Szanto; shakuhachi composer John Neptune; bassists Bill Andrews, Marshall Hawkins, and Gunnar Biggs; pianist composers David Ward-Steinman and Kamau Kenyatta; guitarists Jimmy Patton and Fred Benedetti; San Diego Symphony principal flutist Demarre McGill and jazz flutist Louisa West; drummers Russell Bizzett, Richard Sellers and Kevin Koch; San Diego Symphony percussionist Jonathan Szanto; harpists Melissa Morgan and Miguel Lopez.

Performance venues include the Venetian-Las Vegas, Warner Brothers Studio, California Center for the Arts, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Convention Center, Petco Park, San Diego Japanese Friendship Garden, Descanso Gardens-Pasadena, Sea World, Wild Animal Park, Barona, Viejas, Pechanga and Pala Casinos, La Costa Resort & Spa, Terranea Resort & Spa, and Temecula and Idyllwild Jazz Festivals. Clients include Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, KPBS, Union Bank, Wall Street Journal, SIGGRAPH, and artist Hisashi Otsuka. Events include 2009 Kyoto Prize Ceremony, World Baseball Classic Semifinals/Finals, America's Cup, and National Flute Association Conventions.

Obata has performed for television, radio, film, and live theatre. Her music can be heard in Byron Barth's "The Art of Zen Shiatsu" DVD; Vivian Price's film "Transnational Tradeswomen"; and Tales Alive's "Chieko and the Pine" DVD. Obata has been a featured performer at harp and folk festivals. She taught World Music at San Diego Mesa College for four years. She performs musical accompaniment to world folktales with award-winning author Steven Gregory as part of Tales Alive!