We are pleased to announce that we have a new Artist joining our ranks: Jason Nicholson!!
Dr. Jason Nicholson, Associate Professor of Percussion at Utah State University, received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas. From 2005 – 2008, he was a Graduate Teaching Fellow in Percussion at UNT where he taught Applied Lessons, Percussion Methods, and Percussion Ensemble. Jason was also a featured soloist with both the Graduate Percussion Ensemble as well the Wind Symphony (under the direction of Eugene Corporan), performing at the 2006 PASIC alongside Keiko Abe and the UNT percussion faculty. In 2006, Jason was honored with the award for The Most Outstanding Graduate Student in Percussion and also served as the principle percussionist with the UNT Wind Symphony.
Prior to his studies at UNT, Jason was a Lecturer in Percussion at Winthrop University where he taught Applied Percussion, Percussion Methods, Percussion Ensemble and African drumming. He simultaneously served as the Director of Percussion Studies at Rock Hill High School where he coordinated percussion activities between the high school and the two feeding middle schools.
Jason has been an active performer in orchestral, jazz, chamber, solo, pop, and world genres throughout the Salt Lake City, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, and Charlotte metropolitan regions. He has performed with notable groups such as the American Festival Orchestra, the Corey Christiansen Trio, the Charlotte Symphony, the Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra, the Charlotte Repertory Big Band, the Larry Smith Kicks Band, and the Charles Craig Jazz Trio. In addition to his training on traditional Western percussion instruments, Jason has extensive experience in Afro-Cuban drumming and African Drumming.
Jason received his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. He then completed a Master of Music in Percussion Performance from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL. Some of his teachers include: Dr. Michael Williams, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Ed Soph, Rick Dior, Mark Ford, Christopher Deane, Keith Aleo, Ed Smith, Jose Aponte, and Poovalur Sriji. Jason is the Immediate Past President of the Utah Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. He is a Performing Artist for Evans Drumheads and Yamaha Percussion, an Educational Artist for Zildjian Cymbals, and is a member of the Black Swamp Percussion Educational Network.
