Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Sanders.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin 3 months early during a blizzard and weighed about 2 pounds. During this time, the doctors would play classical music (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven etc.) through a small tape player that was near my neonatal intensive care unit until I was discharged out of the hospital after 3 months. So, I guess you can say that music was my first true friend. Shortly after, my parents moved to New Orleans, Louisiana which is where I was raised. My parents were music lovers and exposed me to a lot of recordings of all different types of music from a young age. The blues, rock, jazz, classical, Afro-Cuban, and New Orleans music etc. The first instrument I learned to play was the drums because of my father who was a drummer in a rock band named the Sheiks for close to 17 years. My mother was an immigrant from Cuba who came from a musical family and that also helped with my love for music.
At the age of 7, I began to learn the piano after taking part in a play that my 2nd grade teacher put on called “Of Mice and Mozart”. I was exposed to even more classical music because of this and it sparked my interest in learning how to play the piano. After studying and entering competitions for years. I began taking my training in music more seriously and eventually attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) during my high school years where I studied both classical and jazz. Upon graduating I was offered a full tuition scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where I completed my undergrad and master’s degrees in piano performance. I was able to work with some amazing teachers there such as Fred Hersch, Jason Moran, Danilo Perez, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Morris, Cecil McBee, George Garzone, and among others. Also, I played many gigs in the Boston music scene during my time there which were really fun! Upon graduating, I moved to New York City in 2012, was signed to Sunnyside Records and so far have created 4 albums of my own music (2 of which were produced by Fred Hersch), started my piano teaching business which has been successful, and played many gigs all over New York city with some incredible musicians. After being in New York for almost 8 years, I decided it was time to make a change and move somewhere new for continued growth and inspiration. Also, because of the pandemic, living in New York ended up being pretty hectic and it became even more of a catalyst for being in a more nature friendly and beautiful environment. I’d been thinking of a couple a different locations in the United States and overseas but decided on San Diego after visiting for 2 weeks in June. I’m excited to be involved with the music scene here and am also looking forward to continuing my remote music lesson teaching business here in this amazing city.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Overall, I am extremely grateful for the life I have been given. I’ve worked hard to be where I am today both personally and artistically and am always up for new challenges and adventures. I learned a lot living in New York and had to apply myself to the fullest to thrive there as an artist and teacher. There were definitely some difficult times, but I always tried to look at them as opportunities to better myself.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with your work – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Aside from being a pianist and composer that enjoys many different types of musical styles, I also teach piano to people of all ages. I have a Bachelors and Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of music with 10 years of teaching experience. I am happy to teach remotely during this time via FaceTime, Zoom, Skype etc. I am flexible with regard to teaching many musical styles and like to encourage a personal musical relationship with regard to what fits a person’s musical interest and goals. I’m most proud of the fact that I did such a fantastic job in New York that after a few years all of my new students were from word of mouth around New York. I am excited to connect with the people here in San Diego and become a beacon of inspiration for music education in this great city.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Because of the pandemic, these times that we live in are more uncertain than ever. With that being said, I want to continue to compose and record my music and also teach piano to interested and enthusiastic citizens of all ages and levels. Also, I’m really looking forward to exploring San Diego and other parts of California as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nicksandersmusic.com
- Phone: 504-442-2266
- Email: info@nicksandersmusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicksandersmusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/nicksanderskeys
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Nsandersmusic
Image Credit:
Images taken by Chris Drukker
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
