Violist Nicholaus Yee recently completed his doctoral studies at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he was the teaching assistant to Professor Donald McInnes and Dr. Pamela Goldsmith since 2004, and attended as a full fellowship recipient. In addition to his viola studies, he is trained as an instrumental conductor, early music specialist, and music educator, topics he minored in as part of the rigorous and multi-faceted program at USC. An avid chamber musician, he was honored to perform with the renowned violinist Midori shortly after her faculty appointment at USC. Nick has been heard in broadcast on KUSC 91.5 both in chamber music and orchestral music performances.
Ensembles he has been a member of include the USC Symphony and Chamber orchestras, the USC Early Music Ensemble, Orange County’s Pacific Symphony Orchestra (America’s largest per service orchestra), among others. Nick has performed with such musical legends as Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby Mcferrin, Lynn Harrell, Doc Severinsen, Gary Graffmann, and David Shifrin. Conductors he has worked with include Carl St. Clair, John Williams, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Sergiu Commissiona, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, and Lucinda Carver.
A dedicated educator, Nick has taught privately since the age of sixteen and in various capacities at public schools and youth orchestras since 1995. His teaching philosophy centers on the love of music, fostering achievement through discipline and methodical practise, and he encourages a close partnership in teaching and learning music with his students.
Nick is an avid sports fan who follows college football as well as NFL and baseball, and other interests include billiards, bicycling, tennis, going to concerts, reading, and trying various cuisines.