Soundhouse Alum, Dr. Ben Nichols Accepts Position at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Soundhouse graduate Dr. Ben Nichols recently accepted a full-time faculty position at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He runs the saxophone studio (classical and jazz), directs saxophone quartets, runs a jazz combo, and teaches courses on improvisation, commercial music theory, and woodwind methods. Previously, Nichols was a faculty member at the University of Illinois – Springfield, where he was the jazz ensemble director. He has traveled across the globe, performing at large venues, intimate city concerts, and countless jazz festivals throughout North America, South America, and Europe. He is known internationally for his expressive sound and energetic, artistic style.
As a teenager, Nichols was a member of the award-winning Crescent Super Band, named by DownBeat Magazine as the best high school big band in the country. He was a featured solo artist on the band's album, "It Had to Be You". During his time at the Soundhouse, he had the opportunity to perform with such well-known artists as Wycliffe Gordon (Juilliard Instructor), Jon Faddis (GRAMMY®-nominated trumpeter), Jeff Coffin (three-time GRAMMY®-winning saxophonist), Eric Marienthal (GRAMMY®-winning saxophonist), Terreon Gully (Christian McBride Band), Chris Buono (Flaming Headless Torsos), Brian Bromberg (GRAMMY®-nominated bassist), Steve Smith (legendary drummer of Journey), Wayne Bergeron (GRAMMY®-nominated trumpeter), and Kirk Whalum (seven-time GRAMMY®-nominated saxophonist).
After being awarded an NEC Jazz merit award and NEC Jazz scholarship to pursue a Masters of Music degree at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Nichols had the opportunity to study privately and extensively with jazz legends Jerry Bergonzi, Donny McCaslin, Miguel Zenon, and Jason Moran. While finishing his master's degree, he worked as a Teaching Assistant to Jerry Bergonzi, Ken Schaphorst, and other Jazz faculty members at NEC. While in Boston, he also taught woodwind courses at Milton High school, teaching middle and high school students flute, clarinet, and saxophone. In 2016 Nichols was the Cooke Fellowship winner to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). While getting his D.M.A., he studied arranging with the GRAMMY®-winning arranger Chip McNeill and classical saxophone with the world-renowned performer and pedagogue Debra Richtmeyer.
