Nicholas Santangelo Schwartz, Doublebass

Biography

Nicholas
Santangelo Schwartz is originally
from Brookline, Massachusetts, where he began playing bass at the age of 13.  Now a junior at Boston University, he studies with the principal bassist of the Boston Symphony, Edwin
Barker. In 2009, Nicholas was one of the youngest recipients ever of the "Gary
Karr Prize," named in honor of the founder of the International Society of
Double Bassists' Solo Competition.  He
was also awarded "best interpretation of the required piece" commissioned for
the competition. A few months prior, Nicholas received both the gold medal and
the Bach Prize in the Stulberg International String Competition.  It was the first time in the thirty-two year
history of the competition that a double bassist had received either
honor.  He has also been an award winner
in the Boston Symphony Orchestra and National Symphony string competitions and
has been a featured soloist on "From the Top," broadcast on National
Public Radio at the Aspen Music Festival.

Nicholas is currently the youngest member of the
Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Benjamin Zander and during
the summer of 2009 was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center where he worked with James Levine and Michael Tilson
Thomas.  He has previously participated
in the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Boston University
Tanglewood Institute.

As a jazz bassist, Nicholas has attended the Berklee
Summer Performance Program and was accepted into its elite "Summer Jazz
Workshop." At 15, he won the Grand Prize in the Chamber Music Foundation of New
England International Chamber Music Competition at Carnegie Hall with the
Midday Jazz Quartet. He is now a member of "The Hay Brigade," an
all-acoustic quartet that integrates various genres of music and has
collaborated with distinguished artists such as Mark O'Connor.