Described as “a phenomenal performer” and a “confident and expressive player" by the Cape Cod Times, Nicholas Fitton is enjoying a career as a distinguished orchestral flutist and piccoloist, chamber musician, and teacher. Having performed in prominent East Coast venues, such as New York’s Carnegie Hall, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, and Sanders Theater he is at home on the stage. 

 

          A Massachusetts native, Nicholas began playing the flute at the age of 8 and has been active in the Cape Cod music community ever since. During Nicholas’ early flute career, much of his training was centered in the Boston area. He distinguished himself as a gifted musician, playing principal flute and piccolo with the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, earning a spot as a finalist in the Boston Symphony Concerto Competition, winning second prize in the New England String Ensemble’s Flute Competition, and attending the Boston University Tanglewood Flute Institute with Doriot Dwyer, former principal flute of the Boston Symphony. 

 

            In his sophomore year while studying with Bonita Boyd at the Eastman School of Music, Nicholas competed against hundreds of musicians all over the world and won the piccolo position for the groundbreaking 2009 YouTube Symphony Orchestra, the first ever online collaborative orchestra. Video auditions were submitted to YouTube. Youtube users voted on finalists and ultimately chose the winners.  Under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas, the orchestra performed a sold-out concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall, which included the premiere of Tan Dun’s “Internet Symphony No. 1 Eroica,” which was written specifically for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra.

 

           Having earned a position in the Boston Flute Academy’s Teacher Training Program, under the direction of Judy Grant, Nicholas returned to Boston in the fall of 2011. At the BFA he taught private lessons, masterclasses, and studio classes to students of all ages. He also performed regularly as a guest artist, and recital soloist both in Boston and on Cape Cod while continuing private study with Adam Workman, Founder of Flutistry Boston. 

 

          Nicholas completed his Bachelor of Music degree  in Flute Performance in 2015 at The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland in the studio of Marina Piccinini, where he was a recipient of the Ervin R. VanArtsdalen Endowed Scholarship. After graduating, he joined the team of Flutistry Boston and worked in sales and customer service for four years eventually earning the title of Piccolo Specialist. In the fall of 2019 he returned to Peabody to pursue a Master of Music degree in Piccolo Performance with Erica Peel, solo piccolo of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

 

        Nicholas has substituted and held positions with The Omaha Symphony, The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, The New Bedford Symphony, and The College Light Opera Company as well as having adjudicated the Florida Flute Association Young Artist Competition and the Louisiana Flute Society Piccolo Competition. He maintains a private teaching studio, in person and virtually,  with students of all ages and abilities. He plays on an 18k Gold Verne Q. Powell flute and a Pettry Prestiege Piccolo.