Nicholas Maughan

Company Pianist

Whether Nicholas Maughan is music directing a production of Rocky Horror at a barn in Kennebunkport, Maine, coaching a high school violinist on the Mendelssohn Concerto, or playing tunes from Wicked with Kristin Chenoweth and the Utah Symphony, he is at a piano doing what he loves: making music with other people.

Collaboration is the theme in Nic’s musical life. His first piano lessons, taught by his mother, included duets. He was accompanying choirs in middle school and high school. At Utah State (Charlene Shelzi Jarvis, Annette Colledge) and Weber State (Ralph van der Beek), Nic worked extensively with singers and string players. Nic credits much of his ability to adapt his playing to “styles-beyond-classical” to the work he did under the mentorship of Jim Christian (musical theater), Viktor Uzur (chamber music), and Cristin Tillinghast (voice).

Currently, Nic enjoys working as the full time Company Pianist at Ballet West, where he’s able to incorporate all kinds of musical favorites into his playlist for Company class. Dancers might hear anything from Scarlatti & Chopin to Jerome Kern & Katy Perry.  Nic finds the ballet repertoire (Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and more) challenging and exciting. This season, he’s looking forward to Rodeo (De Mille/Copland) and In the Night (Robbins/Chopin). Nic very much enjoys performing as a member of the Ballet West Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Jared Oaks.

Special projects during the 2022-2023 season include performing the premiere of Alfonso Tenreiro’s Piano Concerto 1 with Dr. Michael Palumbo and Chamber Orchestra Ogden and expanding Nic’s original score for choreographer Jessica Baynes’ modern dance piece, Bloom, a Grantee of Salt Lake City’s Arts Council’s 2022 Artist Career Empowerment Grant.

You can hear Nic on Aubrey Adams-McMillan’s 2021 album, Beautiful Dreamer, and Ginger Bess’s 2014 album, Give Me the Simple Life, available on all streaming services.

Many thanks to Adam Sklute, Jared Oaks, members of the Artistic Staff, and Company. It’s a delight to be part of Ballet West!