Nick Maclean

Nicholas Maclean is a Dartmouth, NS-based musician, improvisor, clinician and educator. Upon graduating from St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music (First Class Honours) in 2004, Nicholas relocated to Halifax, NS and became an active member of the music scene as a performer and educator. He has continued to study privately with internationally- renowned musicians such as Ari Hoenig, Jim Campilongo, Oz Noy, Wayne Krantz, Jerry Granelli, Howard Alden and Sheryl Bailey, among others.

Nicholas has been a faculty member of the Creative Music Workshop (CMW) since 2019 and a member of the 1313 Music Association executive board since 2011. In addition to teaching over 65 private students a week, he is an in-demand clinician and co-leads weekly Creative Process sessions presented by CMW. His approach as an educator is to focus on the fundamental elements of music - rhythm, harmony, melody, tone, improvisation and composition - in a non-stylized format that encourages students to follow their own creative paths.

Nicholas is also very active as a session and touring musician. He has performed across Canada and internationally and been involved in award-winning and -nominated recording projects, in genres ranging from free improvisation, classic jazz, roots/Americana, folk, dream pop, alternative and classic rock and R&B. He has performed and recorded with the likes of ECMA award-winning and nominated artists such as Gabrielle Papillon, Alana Yorke, Carmel Mikol, Kristen Martell, Terra Spencer, Norma MacDonald, Juno nominees Kaia Kater and Kim Barlow, improvising percussionist Jerry Granelli, folk trio Lunar Bloom, former Hey Rosetta! frontman Tim Baker, soul/R&B singer Elise Besler, folk songwriter Clare Siobhan, and many others. He regularly performs improvised music with his fellow CMW faculty members and leads his own group, the Nicholas Maclean Trio.

Photo Credit: Nick MacLean