Nicholas Nicolaidis, tenor
Nicholas was born in Johannesburg and spent four years at the Drakensberg Boys’ School Choir from the age of 11, where he was the lead treble soloist and then the leading tenor soloist. He completed his schooling at St Johns College in Houghton and graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand with a Bachelor of Music degree, specialising in vocal performance. He received both the Elizabeth Connell/Samro and Joyce Barker vocal awards during this time.
From 1996-2002 he was the choirmaster, orchestra conductor and teacher at Pridwin Preparatory School in Melrose, Johannesburg. In April of 1997 he was appointed the Musical Director of Côr Meibion Cymru de Affrig (The Welsh Male Voice Choir of South Africa) which he led for the next seven years. In October 2000, the choir performed to critical acclaim in the Royal Albert Hall for the Millennium Festival of Male Voice Choirs, as well in South Wales. Nicholas has also been a member of the famous South African choir, the Chanticleer Singers, since 1994.
In August 2003, Nicholas won the South African Music Rights Organisation overseas scholarship award for singing and furthered his singing studies in London with professors from the Royal College of Music.
Nicholas’s voice may best be described as being a “lyric tenor”. He has a wide repertoire but specialises in Oratorio, Lieder and songs from shows. Among his stage performances he has played the role of Percival Brown in ‘The Boyfriend’ (1993), The Lord High Chancellor in Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Iolanthe’ (1994), Major-General Stanley in ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ (1998, 2003) and Ko-Ko in the ‘Mikado’ (2007).
He has performed as a soloist with the Symphony Choir of Johannesburg, the Bach Choirs of Johannesburg, Natal and Pretoria, the Bonisodumo Choristers, the Port Elizabeth Oratorio Choir and the Chanticleer Singers among others.
Nicholas has also appeared with the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra in the very popular series ‘Starlight Classics’, ‘Last Night of the Proms’, Talkradio 702’s ‘Mother’s Day Concert at the Zoo’ and the Classic FM soirées, and performed at the National Budget dinner hosted by Rand Merchant Bank.
www.nicnic.co.za