MEET THE MUSICIANS

VIOLIN NICHOLAS PAPPONE

Nicholas Pappone is a native of Los Angeles, and an undergraduate student at the Manhattan School of Music where he studies with Patinka Kopec. Nicholas began the study of violin at the age of ten. Playing the role of a child prodigy violinist in an independent film inspired his interest in the instrument. Nicholas’s career as a child actor began at the age of six with a small part in the film, Outbreak. He spent three years on the soap opera, The Young and the Restless, made numerous guest appearances on existing television series, and starred in several television series pilots. He abandoned an acting career at the age of thirteen to focus entirely on his violin study.

Solo competition wins include the Marina del Rey-Westchester Symphony Competition, the Palisades Symphony’s Young Artist Award, the Pearl Christlieb Award in the Valley Cultural Center Competition, and the 2004 Redlands Bowl Young Artists Competition. He has also been awarded scholarships by the Leni Fe Bland Foundation, the Westside Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Southern California Conservatory of Music. Nicholas has continued his studies at several summer festivals including Pinchas Zukerman’s Young Artist’s Program in Canada, Heifetz International Music Institute, the International Academy of Music in Italy, Summit Music Festival in New York, and the Encore School for Strings.

Chamber music performance is of particular interest to Nicholas. In addition to current chamber music at the Manhattan School of Music, Nicholas was awarded membership in the Maestro Foundation Chamber Music Academy of Los Angeles, a mentorship program that features showcase performances with renowned professionals. He was also a member of the Colburn School Honors String Quartet for two years. The quartet was featured on live KMZT, Los Angeles radio broadcasts, presented a full recital program for the South Bay Chamber Music Society, and played in master classes for the Julliard String Quartet and Itzhak Perlman. 

In addition to the Manhattan School of Music orchestras, Nicholas is the youngest member of the Chamber Orchestra of New York. He has also served in the Crossroads School EMMI Chamber Orchestra and as concertmaster for the Colburn Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Ron Leonard.