Nicholas Matthiesen joined the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal Percussion in January of 2024. Nicholas has performed with many ensembles including the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera, Kansas City Symphony, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and New World Symphony.
Nicholas has participated in numerous soundtrack recordings at the famous Skywalker Ranch and can be heard on San Francisco Symphony’s recording of Charles Ive’s Fourth Symphony. He has spent summers at the Aspen Music Festival and as a fellow with the National Repertory Orchestra. In addition, he performed many world and North American premieres during his time with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Matthiesen began his musical studies at age fourteen after being gifted a drum set by a family friend. He earned his Bachelor of Music from San Jose State University and his Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After several years of performing and teaching in the Bay Area, he moved to Toronto, where he received an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music. His mentors include Charles Settle, Tom Sherwood, Jacob Nissly, Trey Wyatt, Jack Van Geem, Galen Lemmon, and Steve Slater.
When not performing with the TSO, Nicholas enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, and spending time with his partner Allie, and their pug, Clementine.