Nick Parnell is Australia's most exciting young concert percussionist. A leader of the new generation of performers, Nick breaks traditional boundaries exploring world music and performing works by Bach and Chopin on percussion. Winner of the 2001 International Melbourne Percussion Competition, his energy and precision on instruments including marimba, vibraphone, drums, gongs and cymbals, have fascinated and enchanted audiences throughout Australia , Asia and the UK .
Born in the small South Australian country town of Orroroo , Nick began teaching himself the drums at the age of ten.
He later attended Westminster School where he had formal tuition.
He completed a Bachelor of Music, Honours and Masters degrees in Percussion Performance under teacher Jim Bailey at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide . In 2004 he was named the most outstanding graduate of the Elder Conservatorium. Nick has consistently won awards for his outstanding musicianship. These include:
- First Place-International Melbourne Percussion Competition-2001
- First Place -Australian Percussion Eisteddfods-2002 & 2003
- First Place-Elder Conservatorium Concerto Competition-1999
- First Place-Adelaide Eisteddfod-1997
- Finalist-Australian Young Performers Award-1999 & 2001
- Finalist-Australia Young Citizen of the Year (Arts Category)-2001 & 2002
- Prize Winner-Elder Conservatorium Classical Music Awards-1999
- Centenary of Federation Medal -2003
- Recipient of Arts SA Mentorship Grant-2004
- Recipient of University of Adelaide Masters Sholarship-2001 & 2002
Nick has studied and attended master classes with many of the world's top musicians, including Evelyn Glennie ( Scotland ), Gary Burton (USA), Bill Molenhof (USA/Germany), Neil Percy from London Symphony Orchestra (UK) and Uffe Savery from the famous Safri Duo ( Denmark). He has studied Gamelan music in Yogyakarta , the cultural centre of Indonesia and is regularly involved in percussion festivals in Australia and overseas.
Nick's performances throughout Australia , Asia and the UK have been received with critical acclaim. He has worked with the distinguished American composer, conductor and educator Gunter Schuller and with internationally acclaimed contemporary music conductor Lorraine Vallincourt. He has performed with artists including David Helfgott and Riley Lee.
Nick is well known for his exploration of fusing classical music with other styles. He has a special interest in world music. He also performs transcriptions of popular classical works by composers such as Bach and Chopin. He has given numerous Australian premieres of new compositions, such as Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür's percussion concerto, Magma . This was performed in 2003 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra conducted by Olari Elts.
Nick has performed with ensembles including the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Australian String Quartet, Adelaide Art Orchestra, English National Ballet, Russian Ballet Company, contemporary music groups Lights and The Stellar Collective, and world music group The Hormingo Ensemble.
Festivals include the Adelaide and Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, International Canberra Chamber Music Festival, Glenelg Jazz Festival, International Barossa Music Festival, Bundaleer Forest Festival, Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, Musica Viva Ménage and Australia 's first International Percussive Arts Society Festival. He also performs regularly for ABC Classic FM's National Sunday Live and Friday Recital programs and has made several television appearances. His debut CD Generally Spoken It's Nothing But Rhythm, was released internationally in 2005 on the ABC Classics Label.
