About

Hi. My name is Nikita, and I'm a professional musician. Music has been in me since childhood - I loved to sing very much. My singing might have been poor but soulful, which was important, wasn't it? When I was 8 years old, my parents took me and my best friend to a children music school for wind and percussion instruments in Vyatskie Polyany. At the time, I did not even know the names of most musical instruments. When my tutor asked me about what instrument I’d like to play, I would reply, "A trumpet". However, my best friend then insisted that we should have saxophone lessons. That's how it all started.

It was in the music school where I got started on a long journey to the world of harmony and sounds. In my 3rd year in the music school I began playing in the orchestra and toured all major cities of Russia. I also received awards and prizes at various competitions and festivals. One of my most cherished awards was the 3rd place at the Youth Delphic Games in Smolensk, in 2001.

So, music had become an integral part of my life. I was a zealous learner of music notation, music theory. I studied the notes trying to understand the essence of sound. Meanwhile, it took me 7 years to get a top-notch musical education, and I could see no other way but follow the call of music. Thus, in 2004 I entered M.A.Balakirev Musical College of Nizhny Novgorod.

Then the studies opened my eyes to the various musical aspects and theories. Through extensive music practice the saxophone literally became a part of my personality. Those days I felt music with my heart rather than my ear. However, it took far more effort and a lot of hard work. So, unwittingly, I became fully devoted to music, which ultimately transformed into my lifetime project. In that period, I was part of a Big Band under the direction of M.V. Petropavlovsky and the saxophone quartet of V.L.Baldin. It was there that I acquired considerable and, most importantly, positive experiences and pleasure. Being a 4th-year student, I was invited to join a professional orchestra called Nizhny Novgorod Provincial Orchestra and toured a number of major cities in Russia, Europe, Asia and Africa.

In 2008 I successfully graduated from college (with a red-cover ‘cum laude’ diploma). Then I entered M.I.Glinka State Conservatory in Nizhny Novgorod. While still in the orchestra, I also took up private teaching practice. I felt that I could share my knowledge and experience with people who had craved to play the saxophone for the whole life. This brought me happiness...

During my time at the conservatory, I also toured a lot as a solo artist, took part and won prozes in the All-Russian and International competitions (UK, Germany, Ukraine, Russia). Besides, I played in the State Circus Orchestra in Nizhny Novgorod and joined a number of musical bands (7000 $, Embargo, V chom delo? - What's the matter?-transl).

I graduated from the conservatory in 2013, with a mark of excellence and an honors degree diploma. However, the most rewarding was my ardent love for music and the ability to feel and bestow music upon other people.

That same year, I moved to Moscow, which, without a doubt, had influenced my creative activities. At that point in time, I was vigorously promoting my musical projects, performing at concerts, weddings, private and corporate parties at the highest national level. I continued with private tutoring using my unique proprietary technique based on a customized student-specific approach. Also, I was a tenor saxophone player of the State Wind Orchestra of Russia.

I'm certainly open to any creative activity - I take great pleasure in engaging in original art projects, working with musicians, dancers, fire-show and just creative people. So it is only natural that in spring of 2018 I decided to leave for New York – in a strive for new achievements, for enhanced skills, for getting to know a new culture and its people. During my life in the US, I visited more than 20 States and played with a huge number of musicians and bands, including Manhattan Wind Ensemble and Brooklyn Wind Symphony.

When the coronavirus lockdown broke out, many of my students have chosen to take classes online. Thanks to my professional equipment (sound card, microphone, etc.) and the high-speed Internet, it became possible to conduct high-quality music lessons without leaving home. After a while, this became my main activity.Since online lessons allow me not to be tied to a specific location, at the beginning of 2022, I decided to move to the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. Enjoying the wonderful climate and the Caribbean coast, there I found inspiration for creativity. Performing with local musicians in Barranquilla gave me a new cultural experience and a deeper understanding of Latin music and art.

What was next? In March 2023, in search of new opportunities, I left for Toronto, Canada. At the moment I continue teaching music and have about 40 students who take music lessons online and in-person. I teach saxophone, flute, clarinet, recorder and music theory. I'm also working on creating my own collection of etudes for saxophone. Besides, I'm actively looking for collaboration with various musicians and artists, and perform at private parties, weddings and other events.

Music takes up almost all of my time, but since I have chosen this business as the most important thing in my life, I devote myself to it completely. There are still many new plans and goals ahead, I have something to strive for both professionally and personally.