Faculty & Staff

Todd Nichols
Director of University Bands and Athletic Bands; Assistant Professor, Conducting
Music
Community Arts
Degrees & Accomplishments
DMA in Conducting, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University
MM in Conducting, Messiah College
BM in Music, The College of New Jersey
Elected to American Bandmasters Association/American School Band Directors Association
NBA Citation of Excellence 2020 and 2015
Topics of Expertise
Music education
Large-ensemble instrumental performance/bands
Wind band history
Biography

Todd Nichols currently serves as Director of University Bands at Rutgers University. His duties include oversight and administration of the university band program, directing the Marching Scarlet Knights and Symphonic Winds, and teaching various courses including undergraduate and graduate conducting. As Director of the Marching Scarlet Knights, Nichols led highly acclaimed performances for the NFL’s nationally televised Monday Night Football and for President Joe Biden.

Nichols annually serves as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and recording producer and is especially honored to have guest conducted the United States Army Field Band. Nichols is an advocate for new compositions supporting the efforts of composers in over 30 commissions. Nichols currently serves as President for the Big Ten Band Director’s ​Association.

As artistic director for the Eastern Wind Symphony, Nichols conducted highly acclaimed performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center and recorded recent releases Resurgence and Elements. Under his direction, the EWS received multiple Grammy Award nominations of eligibility and have been invited to perform at major conventions including the 2021 and 2015 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, 2019 ACB National Convention, 2017 NAfME All Eastern Convention, and 2017 ITG Conference. In addition, Nichols currently serves as Assistant Conductor for the Garden State Symphonic Band.

For nineteen years Nichols served as Director of Bands at Roxbury and Edison High School in New Jersey, where his ensembles were recognized for outstanding performance at numerous local, state, and many prestigious national festivals and concerts. Nichols recently co-authored two articles accepted for publication in The Journal of Band Research and WASBE Journal. His professional affiliations include the B1G, WASBE, CBDNA, and AFM.