Christopher Nichols joined the faculty of the University of
Delaware as assistant professor of clarinet in 2013 where he instructs
undergraduate and graduate applied clarinet, clarinet ensemble, chamber
music, pedagogy and literature, and annually hosts Delaware Clarinet
Day. As an artist clinician, Dr. Nichols has recently appeared at
Rutgers University, the Crane School of Music at SUNY-Potsdam, the
University of Maryland and the University of Southern Mississippi.
Dedicated to the cultivation of aspiring pre-college clarinetists, Dr.
Nichols currently serves on the faculty of the Delaware Governor’s
School of Excellence, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan,
St. Andrew’s School and maintains a private studio. Dr. Nichols’
students have found success in competitions, won positions in military
bands and serve as music educators.
Dr. Nichols is a versatile
clarinetist with performances as a soloist and in ensembles across the
United States and abroad. He regularly performs with orchestras such as
the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City, the Pennsylvania Philharmonic
and the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of Christiana Winds
and New Music Delaware and regularly collaborates with established
chamber ensembles such as the Serafin String Quartet and the
Taggart-Grycky Duo. He has served for over a decade in the Army Music
Career program with performances throughout the United States, Germany,
France and Austria. Dr. Nichols currently serves as a reservist with the
380th Army Band in Richmond, Virginia.
Dr. Nichols has appeared
as a featured soloist at conferences of the International Clarinet
Association, European Clarinet Association, and College Music Society.
His live performances have been selected for inclusion in the Audio
Performance Archive of College Music Symposium and broadcast on
Kansas and Michigan Public Radio. In 2015, Dr. Nichols work as a solo
recitalist was recognized with an Established Artist Fellowship from the
Delaware Division of the Arts.
Dr. Nichols is an active member
of the National Association for Music Education, College Music Society,
Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society,
International Clarinet Association and Music Teachers National
Association. He currently serves as the College Music Society Northeast
Chapter’s executive board member for performance and as audio reviews
editor for The Clarinet.
Dr. Nichols holds a Bachelor of
Music, magna cum laude, from the Boston Conservatory, Master of Music
from Kansas State University and Doctor of Musical Arts from the
University of Kansas. His primary mentors include Ian Greitzer, Kenneth
Radnofsky, Steven Barta, Tod Kerstetter and Stephanie Zelnick.
As
a Légère Reeds Endorsing Artist and a Buffet Artist Clinician, Dr.
Nichols performs exclusively on Légère Signature Series reeds and Buffet
clarinets. Additional information is available at his personal website www.christophernicholsclarinet.com.