Nicholas R. Nelson holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Brooklyn College of the City University of New York where his teachers have included Morton Subotnik, Jason Eckardt, David DelTredici and George Brunner. He has been in residence with numerous ensembles, including the Brooklyn College Conservatory Orchestra under George Rothman and the ConTempo ensemble of Brooklyn College under Ursula Oppens, and has also collaborated with the Remarkable Theater Brigade under Monica Harte who produced the New York City premiere of his first opera, as well as the CYGNUS ensemble, DFE and Ensemble Moto Perpetuo. His pieces have been premiered on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the bi-annual International Electro-Acoustic Music Festival, and recently the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music (SEAMUS) national conference in 2011.

As a sought-after technologist, Nelson has provided technological and musical design for Jason Eckhardt, Kevin James of the [kaj] ensemble, John Eaton and Amir Shpilman of Ensemble Moto Perpetuo. In addition to electro-acoustic music, Nicholas also provides sound design for theater and film. Shows for which he has designed sound have appeared on the New York, New Orleans, Prague and Hong Kong Fringe Festivals, and the Big Apple Film and City View film festivals in New York City. Currently a doctoral candidate at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, Nelson’s research interests include performer / electronics interaction, machine listening and interface design.