Born: December 17, 1981 Primary Instrument: Trumpet
Trumpeter and Composer Nicole Rampersaud has become an in demand performer in Canada and abroad, known for her unique and versatile musicality in the jazz and improvised music scenes. Past and current collaborators read like a who's who of today's leading artists: Anthony Braxton, Bob Brookmeyer, Evan Parker, Rakalam Bob Moses, Django Bates, Marilyn Lerner, Joe Morris and Jean Martin, to name a few. She has also performed in some of the most prestigious venues in North America including: New York’s Lincoln Center, Berklee Performance Center in Boston, and Massey Hall in Toronto.
Nicole’s Quintet was invited to perform a set of new compositions at the Festival of New Trumpet Music, where she was also a part of the New York premiere of Anthony Braxton’s Composition #103 for Seven Choreographed and Costumed Trumpets, with Mr. Braxton conducting. She has since performed the piece with Mr. Braxton at the Ars Nova Workshop in Philadelphia. Nicole also performed with Braxton as a member of the AIMToronto Orchestra at the Guelph Jazz Festival. The performance was documented and released on Spool Records.
Born and raised in Toronto, Nicole holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto’s Jazz Performance Program. Upon graduating from the University, Nicole was offered a scholarship to continue her studies at the New England Conservatory, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies. While at the Conservatory, Nicole studied with Danilo Perez, John McNeil, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Morris, Herb Pomeroy, Joe Maneri, and Bob Moses. She also studied composition with Michael Gandolfi and Ken Schaphorst.
Today, Nicole maintains a busy performance schedule as a leader and side person in a broad range of groups in Toronto. She is a co-curator of the long running Leftover Daylight Series and is a former board of director for AIMToronto, Toronto's premier collective of creative, improvising musicians. Upcoming projects include a recording of solo trumpet compositions as well as a recording featuring compositions for a quintet co-led with Alto Saxophonist Evan Shaw, the latter of which is scheduled to be released on Barnyard Records in early 2011.
Awards:
Recipient of Grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.“Some of the individuals that made impact on my ears were Nicole Rampersaud with excruciatingly vivid trumpet playing...” - Tom Sekowski, The Live Music Report
“Ms. Rampersaud is one of the rising stars of the burgeoning Toronto scene, keep your eye on her, she’s got the chops and the ideas to make some serious noise.” - Taylor Ho Bynum, Cornet Player, Co-Curator for the Festival of New Trumpet Music
Primary Instrument:
Trumpet
Location:
Toronto, ON
