Education

Working with young musicians has been a passion throughout Nick’s career. His philosophy is quite simple: he expects every musician to give their best. From non-specialists in deprived areas to elite music students representing their State, Nick treats everyone with the respect of a fellow performer - whilst taking no prisoners.

Youth Orchestras
and Choirs

Conducting school and youth orchestras has been both a mission and an inspiration, from individual schools in England to the Minnesota All State Orchestra.

His work in South Carolina was ground-breaking, bringing together musicians from different high schools to work in the Educational TV studios, the largest on the East Coast, for three days, with a full camera crew throughout. The first project focused on Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto with soloist Marina Lomazov. The second combined high school choirs and orchestral musicians working alongside the South Carolina Philharmonic in a performance of Mozart’s Requiem. Both programmes were a huge leap forward for the musicians taking part.

Children's Opera
Youth Opera

The five productions Nick has directed for Buxton Opera Festival have all involved a children’s chorus and through them a major rehearsal period in both primary and secondary schools.

Elsewhere he has written/arranged operas loosely based on issues of the day (climate change, nutrition) for young voices and instruments.  These have been performed on both sides of the Atlantic with huge success.

As Artist-in-Residence for two years at one of the most deprived high schools in South Carolina he directed three full-scale opera productions and saw dramatic changes in students’ behaviour patterns, as well as having great fun.