Gary Nicholson

Gary Nicholson, music director of the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Association and conductor of its top orchestra, co-founded the organization in 1980. Mr. Nicholson came to Colorado Springs in 1976 after graduating from Wichita State University, Magna cum Laude, with degrees in Music Education and Music Performance with honors. Upon arrival in Colorado Springs, Mr. Nicholson began teaching in School District 11 and playing trumpet with the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra. As a trumpeter, Mr. Nicholson has performed with the Aspen Music Festival, the Wichita Symphony, the Colorado Opera Festival, the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, the Colorado Springs Chorale, Music Theater of the Rockies, the Fine Arts Center Repertory Theater, the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra, and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Mr. Nicholson has also performed with Abendmusik, a professional level vocal ensemble. Mr. Nicholson has served as a guest conductor/clinician in Wisconsin, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Japan, and Australia. From 1995 to 1998, he was the Music Director and Conductor of the Colorado College Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Nicholson has led the Youth Symphony on tours to New York City, Washington D.C., Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and China. The Youth Symphony has performed in such prestigious venues as the Mozarteum in Salzburg (2000), the Kennedy Center (2001), Carnegie Hall (2005, 2016), Sydney Opera House (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2018, 2024), Shanghai Oriental Art Center (2008), and the National Concert Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria (2012). In 2000, the Youth Symphony received First Place in the Full Orchestra
category at the International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna, Austria. In addition to his work with the Youth Symphony, Mr. Nicholson is a strong proponent of music education, retiring in 2014 after 26 years of teaching band and orchestra in Colorado Springs School District #11 and Cheyenne Mountain School District #12. In 2009, Mr. Nicholson was selected by the Greenberg Center for Learning and Tolerance as one of the top 100 “residents whose vision and actions have made a difference in the development of this great city from 1871 to 2009”. In 2010 and 2015, Mr. Nicholson was the Keynote Speaker for Tri-M members (high school musicians/leaders) at the annual Colorado Music Educators Association conference. In 2016, Mr. Nicholson was awarded the ‘Bee an Arts Champion’ award presented by the Bee Vradenburg Foundation, and in 2020, he was honored for his 40 years of artistic leadership in the community. In 2023, after 47 years of performing, Mr. Nicholson retired from
the Colorado Springs Philharmonic trumpet section. Mr. Nicholson and his wife, Donna Sheldon, enjoy living in Colorado Springs, have a son and daughter-in-law, Aaron and Kaori, a grandson Atlas, and a miniature dachshund, Gracie. Outside of the world of music, he enjoys time with family, traveling, skiing, reading, landscaping/gardening, hiking, camping, and great food.