Nick Austin is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied under Carola Grindea and Harold Dexter. He spent a year at King Alfred's College, Winchester, where he qualified as a teacher.
An avid showtune lover, Nick has been Musical Director for the Crowthorne Musical Players since 1988: recent productions have included Singin' in the Rain, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, The Boyfriend, Me and My Girl and Die Fledermaus. He has just directed 'A Night at the Oscars' - an evening of music from the movies, and rehearsals are now underway for a week of Oklahoma at South Hill Park next May.
Past years have seen Nick conducting 400 children in performances of Yanomamo, Ocean World and African Jigsaw by Rose and Conlon at the Bracknell Schools Music Festival. He has also conducted the South Berkshire Music Centre's Corelli Orchestra, including a tour of Germany.
An expert repetiteur, Nick has been rehearsal pianist for the Bracknell Choral Society since 1981 and conducted a complete Messiah for the society in November 2005. He regularly accompanies and plays continuo in their concerts. Work is underway for a performance of Bach's B minor Mass next April.
Nick joined Stanmore Choral Society as Musical Director in September 2006. Performances since then have included Faure's Requiem, Vivaldi's Gloria and Handel's Dixit Dominus, performed with members of the award-winning a cappella group, Voces8 and the Senesino Players. His first season with them concluded with 'A Night at the Opera'.
Nick is currently working for Royal Mail and, in his spare time, he orchestrates, arranges and composes for various musical and dance groups - one big project underway at the moment is writing a complete ballet on the theme of Aladdin. He is also a Science Fiction fan and is fascinated by the mystery that is our Universe.