Nikka Gershman
USA
MEET…
Nikka Gershman testimonial
“From the moment I picked up my flute at age six, I heard of the legendary Sir James Galway. Since then, it was my dream to learn from him. In 2021, when I received my acceptance to the Galway Summer Flute Festival, I felt like I won the lottery! The actual lesson exceeded all expectations. Both Lady Jeanne and Sir James were so welcoming — it was as if I was invited into a flute family. Sir James knows how to quickly transform weaknesses into strengths and get you ready to shine on stage. Lady Jeanne and Sir James are also known for being very supportive of young musicians, and I will never forget the day I won the “Outstanding Junior Performer” Award. I continue to return every opportunity I get to study with Sir James, and I hope that one day I can give back, like he does so generously, to the flute community.”
Haynes Flutes, the oldest flute manufacturing company in America, has invited Nikka to be their youngest ever Young Artist. She is currently attending the Colburn Music Academy under the mentorship of Jim Walker. The Academy has awarded her the prestigious Thibaudet Scholarship, in which Jean-Yves Thibaudet personally selects students for this merit-based grant. In addition, Nikka studies composition with renowned Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner.
Nikka is honored to be a National Finalist of YoungArts, the most prestigious award in the United States, which identifies exceptional young artists to invest in their lifelong careers. The Concorso Internazionale A Tutto Flauto awarded her the Absolute First Prize (Primo Premio Assoluto) in the adult category. In 2022, she was the only 14-year-old in the history of the Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition to win the Grand Prize for Exceptional Talent and Musicianship Award over all categories, judged by a panel of esteemed LA Philharmonic members. Nikka was the only flutist selected out of 13 winners internationally by the Classicalia Global PBS Televised Competition to perform in Vienna’s renowned Konzerthaus with the Győr Philharmonic. She is a recipient of the Sir James Galway “Outstanding Junior Performer” Award and a winner of the prestigious career grant for the Salon de Virtuosi. Nikka was a guest performer on NPR’s From the Top National Public Radio station, showcasing her performance and composition, and has also been interviewed by The Flute View magazine and featured multiple times by The Violin Channel.
Nikka is a first-prize winner in numerous competitions including the Music Teachers’ National Association (MTNA) national winner, British Flute Society International Young Performer Competition (BFS), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artists’ Concerto Competition, Colburn Academy Virtuosi Concerto Competition, Rising Stars Grand Prix (Berlin), Flutes by the Sea International Competition, Chicago Flute Club (Senior Division), concerto soloist for the Whittier Regional Symphony, and New York Young Virtuoso Competition. The International Alliance for Women in Music has selected Nikka’s original composition "The Tears of Winter" for the Libby Larsen Prize in the 41st annual Search for New Music Competition.
Currently, Nikka is the featured principal flutist of the Colburn Academy Virtuosi Orchestra, a chamber ensemble comprised of the most talented musicians from the Colburn Music Academy.