Nikolas James
Composer
An American composer and pianist, Nikolas James founded and directed the Nevada Chamber Orchestra in 2017, and while enrolled in graduate studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), he served on the inaugural committee which established the NEON music festival (Nevada Encounters Of New music), a yearly composers’ symposium consisting of four days of concerts, lectures, private lessons and masterclasses. While in Las Vegas, he taught for about a decade at four higher educational institutions, including UNLV, the College of Southern Nevada and The Art Institute of Las Vegas. At UNLV, he earned a dual Master’s Degree with emphases in Piano, Music Composition and Music Theory, during which time he also appeared as a regular performer in the university’s “Nextet” new music ensemble. Today, Nikolas is actively performing and teaching in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he resides with his wife, Mary, and Yorkshire terrier, Percival (Percy).