Nick Atkinson
Trombone / tuba
Richard Erb Chair for Low Brass Training
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Nicholas Atkinson was born in Manchester, England and came to Canada in
1957. He began his musical career playing tuba and bass with Canadian
Army bands and later graduated from the University of Calgary with a
Bachelor of Music in Performance. He subsequently studied extensively
with the legendary Arnold Jacobs of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He
also holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University
of Ottawa. Since moving to Ottawa in 1973, Mr. Atkinson has been an
active tuba player and teacher. He was a member of the R.C.M.P. Band
for fourteen years and has played with the National Arts Centre
Orchestra since 1976. He has been a soloist with the orchestra on
numerous occasions. During the 1989 season he was principal tuba with
the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, beginning a long association that
included many tours and recordings. One of the busiest tuba players in
Canada, he has performed with all of the major orchestras. He has also
performed and recorded with the Hannaford Street Silver Band. As a
chamber musician, Mr. Atkinson has been a prominent member of several
brass ensembles and is a founding member of the Rideau Lakes Brass
Quintet, Ragtime Brass and Capital Brassworks. Every summer since 1993
he has organised large-scale brass concerts at the Ottawa International
Chamber Music Festival. Mr. Atkinson taught at Queen’s University for
ten years and at the University of Ottawa from 1977-2004. He is a
well-known brass coach and has given clinics all over Canada.
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