Thomas Nickell
pianist / composer
Biography
Inventive young composer, pianist and Young Steinway Artist Thomas Nickell has already garnered recognition throughout Europe and the United States for his thoughtful explorations of various musical genres. As a pianist, Thomas has given many highly lauded public performances of important works by Liszt, Chopin, Cowell, Glass, Stockhausen, Schnittke, Messiaen, Roslavets, as well as the U.S. premiere of David Matthews’ Piano Concerto Op. 111 at Carnegie Hall.
As a composer, Thomas specializes in contemporary classical and interdisciplinary music allowing his work to be heard in diverse settings from orchestral music to dance and film. Starting in 2021, Thomas joined the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago as curator of the newly created Avant Garden.
Recent highlights have included the premiere of Piobaireachd-Nocturne by the Northbrook Symphony in Illinois, January 2024, as well as the premiere of Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 by the composer in New York City, February 2024.
Upcoming Events
- September 20, 2024 – Solo Piano Recital at Tenri Cultural Institute in New York City, featuring works by Chopin, Griffes, Roslavets and Nickell
- September 2024 – Piobaireachd-Symphony performance by Avant Symphony in Chicago, Il
“Nickell has a light and delicate touch; his whole persona is concentrated, it appears, in listening to the work and drawing it out of the instrument. He is restrained and transparently-deceptively- simple in technique, a virtuoso seemingly without ego.”
— Debra Davy, Splash Magazines
Thomas Nickell 