Composer, Musical Supervisor
Nico Rhodes is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and instructor who inhabits all styles, eras, and genres of music. Having begun his studies on piano at the age of 3, Nico committed himself to music from the very beginning. By the age of 16, Nico had won several classical and jazz competitions, including the invitation to perform with the Yamaha National Jazz Band on both piano and saxophone. At 17, he began his professional career working in pit orchestras for musical theatre as a sideman and as a musical director. By the age of 31, Nico had conducted and arranged more than 40 professional musicals across Canada. Along the way Nico has received several awards and recognitions. This includes several top three placements in international jazz competitions, multiple Ovation Theatre Award nominations, two Jessie Award nods, and a SATA award nomination (for musical direction and arranging). More recently, Nico was awarded the Emerging Cultural Leader Award from the City of Nanaimo, his hometown since the age of 5.
Aside from theatre, Nico is active as both a recording sideman, a choral director, an arranger and composer, and a performer in his own right. With three original musicals to his name, several dozen recording credits (Piano/Sax/Clarinet/Vocals) with artists like Juno Award winning songwriter Rick Scott, Jesse Award winning chanteuse Joëlle Rabu; local blues and country artists and many more, and two shows orchestrated for full symphony orchestra, Nico is at ease in any genre, on any stage.
