èßäAV

James Nickel has been a member of the National Symphony Orchestra horn section since 2008. Before joining the NSO, he was the assistant principal horn with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the associate principal horn with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his schedule with the NSO, he also serves as the principal horn with the Arizona Musicfest and has been invited to perform as guest principal horn with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Nickel also performs around the D.C. area with the Smithsonian Chamber players, the Eclipse Chamber orchestra, the 21st Century Consort, the National Chamber Players, and the Washington Symphonic Brass.

In the summertime, Nickel has participated in the Garth Newel Music festival, the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in Stellenbosch, South Africa, the Music in the Mountains festival, the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, the Spoleto festival, and the Sarasota Music Festival.

In addition to his performance schedule, he teaches through the Kennedy Center Youth Fellowship program and is Adjunct Professor of Horn at George Mason University.

Nickel is a native of Saint Petersburg, Florida. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music, where he met his wife Julianna.