Home   What's On   Article

Subscribe Now

Teen hailed as the new Mozart




Thomas Nickell.
Thomas Nickell.

IMAGINE if Mozart was coming to Stratford ArtsHouse on Sunday?

OK, so Amadeus isn’t really coming, but a 17-year-old who has been hailed a ‘new American Mozart’ is.

He is Thomas Nickell from New York. Barely out of school, he has been universally praised for his incredible energy, sensitivity and interpretative ability that extends beyond his years.

Playing Carnegie Hall is often cited as an ambition for artists — the young pianist can already boast of having played there over a dozen times — and has scooped two international commissions, and a three-continent tour in 2014 that took him to Italy, Japan, and across the US.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Now, this weekend, he is set to make his UK debut, with recitals in Cheltenham and London as well as Stratford.

Thomas will perform a programme that includes Bach and the London debut of David Matthews’ Piano Concerto, Opus III, under the baton of David Curtis, artistic director of Orchestra of the Swan. Herald arts to him on the phone from New York.

How was it, I asked, being compared to a legend such as Mozart? “Well it is certainly a big statement,” laughs Thomas, sounding friendly, polite and without pretension.

“I don’t necessarily agree because Mozart is such a towering genius. It’s a flattering statement.” So, what does he and Mozart have in common?

“Well I suppose we both started young, and Mozart like maths, and I like maths as well. Mozart was always looking for something different, to express himself in a deeper way, and I relate to that exploration of expression.”

Born in Salzburg in 1756, Mozart notoriously began composing aged just five. It’s the same age that young Thomas’s musical interests were piqued.

“My parents played a Mozart CD to get me to sleep. We had a Steinway in the house already, so I was familiar with it, and I started picking out Mozart by ear, and developed an interest in composing from there.”

Were his family musical at all? “Not really. Dad works in investment and is an enthusiastic supporter of my playing, but doesn’t play himself. Mum, who does philanthropic work, plays piano as a hobby.

“My brother, Joey, who’s 19, is a professional skateboarder.” The dazzling dichotomy of the teen brothers, one a virtuoso pianist and the other a punkish and daring athlete (check out Joey’s incredible rides down steep mountain roads on YouTube), seems the stuff of Hollywood scriptwriters.

Does Thomas ever skateboard himself? “I used to a little bit just as a way for the two of us to bond — but it was never a big passion. I stopped a few years ago — yes, safeguarding the fingers was a factor!”

Thomas’s dedication is obvious. “Playing piano is literally what I want to do all the time. When I’m not playing, I’m thinking about it.

“Usually I play from when I wake up until I get hungry, and then do the same until dinner,” explains Thomas of his regime.

“I do go out with friends too — it depends what comes up during day.”

Who are his favourite composers? “I’ve always loved Bach, and American composer Henry Cowell, who was behind many of the big innovations last century. Recently I’ve been enjoying Leonard Bernstein — his Age of Anxiety symphony has so many wonderful theatrical elements.”

Thomas tells me he’s very excited to be coming to England for the first time; and Stratford in particular as he’s a big Shakespeare fan.

“I’m nervous,” he says of his impending debut playing the premiere of Matthews’ concerto. “But the biggest emotion is excitement.”

What is it that is drew him to Matthews’ work? “It’s a very unique piece,” explains Thomas.

“ I was really attracted to the harmonic writing. It is written in a harmonic style that is unlike anything I have heard before. It has a driving rhythm — a tango is included, which is peculiar, so although traditional, the piece effectively incorporates a modern and eclectic dance form.”

Finally, Thomas has already achieved so much, has he many ambitions left? He pauses thoughtfully and says: “I would like to perform different places and develop a contemporary repertoire. I would also like to continue composing, not just for piano but for other instruments and orchestras, and see where it takes me.”

Hopefully Sunday will deliver victory for Thomas.

Thomas Nickell Plays Bach with the Orchestra of the Swan takes place this Sunday, 10th July, at 6pm. Tickets from £9.50 from www.orchestraoftheswan.org or the ArtsHouse box office.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More