Erik Nielsen Music

Aliceheimer's Preview Performance
2021-11-06 19:00 (America/New_York) | Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier, VT, 05602, United States
A preview performance of parts of my new chamber opera, Aliceheimer’s, written in collaboration with my librettist, Dana Walrath, will take place Saturday, November 6 at 7 p.m. at Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier, Vermont. The performance of selected scenes will feature soprano Mary Bonhag as Alice and pianist Alison Cerutti. A panel discussion will follow. The performance is free but donations are welcome and will help finance a future full production of the opera. All attendees must be masked and vaccinated. For more information, go here. To read how the opera came to be, go here.

Aliceheimer's Preview Performance
2021-11-07 19:00 | Town Hall Theater, 68 S. Pleasant St., Middlebury, VT, 05753, United States
A preview performance of parts of my new chamber opera, Aliceheimer’s, written in collaboration with my librettist, Dana Walrath, will take place Sunday, November 7 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall Theater, 68 S. Pleasant St., Middlebury, Vermont. The performance of selected scenes will feature soprano Mary Bonhag as Alice and pianist Alison Cerutti. A panel discussion will follow. The performance is free but donations are welcome and will help finance a future full production of the opera. All attendees must be masked and vaccinated. For more information, go here. To read how the opera came to be, go here.

Panel Discussion in preparation for Sutras concerts
2022-06-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier, VT, 05602, United States
On Wednesday, June 15, there will be a panel discussion at 7 p.m. at Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont. The discussion will center on the late poet and playwright David Budbill, his works and the collaborations he forged with musicians. It will feature Lois Eby, David’s widow, and composers William Parker, Evan Premo and me. It will help prepare attendees for the upcoming concerts in Burlington on Friday, June 17 and in Montpelier on Saturday, June 18, both of which will feature David’s poetry as set to music by these three composers.

Sutras for a Suffering World
2022-06-17 19:30 - 21:30 | First Congregational Church, 38 South Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05401, United States
The words of celebrated Vermont poet David Budbill take center stage in this one-of-a-kind concert featuring artists from around the country. Scrag Mountain Music co-Artistic Directors Mary Bonhag (soprano) and Evan Premo (composer / double bass) and friends offer up two works by Vermont composers Erik Nielsen and Premo and David’s long-time collaborator and avant-garde jazz legend William Parker (composer / double bass / multi-instrumentalist) leads a group of multi-genre musicians in an incantation of poetry and improvised music. Together these artists offer a sonically diverse program that weaves together David’s iconic poetry.

Sutras for a Suffering World
2022-06-18 19:30 - 21:30 | Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier, VT, 05602, United States

We're All in This Together
2023-01-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Richmond Free Library, 201 Bridge St., Richmond Vermont, 201 Bridge St., Richmond, VT, 05477, United States
This concert will feature world premieres of five of my latest works, five of Vermont’s best musicians and one of Vermont’s finest performance poets. There will be premieres of solo works for flute, violin, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone and the third performance of a work for solo piano. In addition, a work for all five musicians will be premiered. Renowned Vermont poet Rajnii Eddins will perform some of his poetry as well. Tickets will be available at the door, and all ticket sales will go to benefit the Clemmons Family Farm , a magnificent cultural and arts center in Charlotte and one of only 0.4% of Black-owned farms in the United States.
If you wish to donate to help defray the costs of putting this concert on, please go to my fiscal agent, the Monteverdi Music School in Montpelier. Or you can make out a check to the school, putting “Nielsen concert” in the memo line and send it to the school at 46 Barre St., Montpelier, VT 05602.

We're All in This Together
2023-01-28 19:00 - 20:30 | Christ Episcopal Church, 64 State Street, Montpelier, VT, 05602, United States

Champlain Trio Performs My Piano Trio #2
2023-03-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Northern Vermont University (Lyndon), 1001 College Road, Lyndonville, VT, 05851, United States
The Champlain Trio will perform my Piano Trio #2, written expressly for them, at a concert on Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at Northern Vermont University, Lyndonville campus. Also on the program will be music of Lili Boulanger, Jennifer Higdon and Maurice Ravel. The concert will take place in the ATT Theater, ACT 133 in the Activities building.

Champlain Trio performs my Piano Trio #2
2023-04-23 16:00 - 17:30 | Plainfield Opera House, Plainfield, Vermont, 18 High Street, Plainfield, VT, 05667, United States
The Champlain Trio will perform my Piano Trio #2, written expressly for them, at a concert on Sunday, April 23 at 4 p.m. at Plainfield Opera House. Also on the program will be music of Lili Boulanger, Jennifer Higdon and Maurice Ravel.

Thetford Chamber Singers Perform Works by Vermont Composers
2023-05-26 19:30 - 21:30 | United Church of Strafford, 230 Justin Morrill Highway, Strafford, VT, 05072, United States
The Thetford Chamber Singers will perform and entire program of works by Vermont composers, including O Mistress Mind from my set Three Songs from “Twelfth Night” in their spring concert on Memorial Day Weekend. The Strafford concert will be the first of three during the weekend.

Thetford Chamber Singers Perform Works by Vermont Composers
2023-05-27 19:30 - 21:30 | The Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, 40 College St., Hanover, NH, 03755, United States
The Thetford Chamber Singers will perform and entire program of works by Vermont composers, including O Mistress Mind from my set Three Songs from “Twelfth Night” in their spring concert on Memorial Day Weekend. The Hanover concert will be the second of three during the weekend.

Thetford Chamber Singers Perform Works by Vermont Composers
2023-05-28 19:30 - 21:30 | First Congregational Church, 2596 VT Route 113, Thetford, VT, 05074, United States
The Thetford Chamber Singers will perform and entire program of works by Vermont composers, including O Mistress Mind from my set Three Songs from “Twelfth Night” in their spring concert on Memorial Day Weekend. The Thetford concert will be the final of three during the weekend.

Made in Vermont with the VSO
2023-11-03 20:30 - 22:00 | Higher Ground Ballroom, 1214 Williston Road, South Burlingon, VT, 05403, United States
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra, led by Matt LaRocca and featuring Vermont singer Kat Wright, will perform, among other pieces, my work for strings, The Meadowlark, written in memory of beloved Vermont musician Pete Sutherland. The concert will occur Friday November 3 at the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington. The concert begins at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are available at this link.

Made in Vermont with the VSO
2023-11-04 19:00 - 20:30 | VT
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra, led by Matt LaRocca and featuring Vermont singer Kat Wright, will perform, among other pieces, my work for strings, The Meadowlark, written in memory of beloved Vermont musician Pete Sutherland. The concert will occur Saturday November 4 at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and tickets are available at this link.

Made in Vermont with the VSO
2023-11-05 16:00 - 17:30 | VT
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra, led by Matt LaRocca and featuring Vermont singer Kat Wright, will perform, among other pieces, my work for strings, The Meadowlark, written in memory of beloved Vermont musician Pete Sutherland. The concert will occur Sunday November 5 at the Bellows Falls Opera House in Bellows Falls. The concert begins at 4 p.m. and tickets are available at this link.

Aliceheimer’s and Paths toward Healing during the Losses of Dementia
2023-11-13 18:00 - 20:00 | VT
There will be a showing of the preview performance of Dana Walrath’s and my opera, Aliceheimer’s that occurred in 2021 at the Film House at Main Street Landing on the 3rd floor of the Lake and College Street Building on Monday, November 13 beginning at 6 p.m. The film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring a number of clinicians as well as a person living with early onset dementia, and Dana and me. The event is free and open to the public and is scheduled to last until 8 p.m.

Counterpoint Sings for Farmers Night
2024-01-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Vermont State House, 115 State St., Montpelier, VT, 05602, United States
The Vermont professional choral ensemble, Counterpoint, will present its program Turn the World Around on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. in the House chamber of the Vermont State House as part of the State House’s Farmers Night Series. As part of the program they will sing Resilience, a work I composed late last summer in response to the terrible flooding in Vermont. In a departure for me, I wrote the words as well as the music. The event is free, but seating is limited, so show up early!

We're All in This Together
2024-03-17 14:00 - 17:00 | South Hall, 1052 Main St., St. Johnsbury, VT, 05819, United States
On Sunday, March 17 at 2 p.m. at South Hall, 1052 Main Street in St. Johnsbury, We’re All in This Together, my collaboration with poet Rajnii Eddins, will be performed for the third time. It includes five works for solo instruments featuring (in order) Hilary Goldblatt, flute; Dan Liptak, tenor saxophone; Jane Kittredge, violin; Kyle Saulnier, baritone saxophone; and Alison Cerutti, piano. Rajnii has written poems in response to the pieces of music and will perform them preceding each musical work. The afternoon will close with a performance of This Time, a piece for all five musicians written especially for We’re All in This Together. A question and answer session, facilitated by Rajnii, will follow the concert and there will then be a reception with refreshments. The concert is free.

CONCORA Celebrates 50 Years
2024-04-21 16:00 - 18:00 | South Church New Britain, 90 Main St., New Britain, CT, 06051, United States
The Connecticut Choral Artists (CONCORA) will celebrate 50 years of making music on Sunday afternoon, April 21 at 4 p.m. at their longtime home, South Church at 90 Main Street in New Britain, Connecticut. The concert will include a version of my One Thousand Years of Peace, the fifth and final song in my set “First Light”, originally for chorus and chamber orchestra, this time with piano accompaniment. It ought to be a great concert!

Vermont Philharmonic Spring Concert
2024-04-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Chandler Center for the Arts, 71 North Main Street, Randolph, VT, 05060, United States
The Vermont Philharmonic will present their spring concert on Saturday evening, April 27 at 7:30 at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, Vermont. Among the works featured will be my song cycle for soprano and orchestra, Reflections on the Way , a setting of four poems by beloved Vermont poet, the late David Budbill. The soprano will be the incomparable Mary Bonhag. It ought to be a very special concert!

Vermont Philharmonic Spring Concert
2024-04-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Barre Opera House, 6 N Main St #4, Barre, VT, 05641, United States
The Vermont Philharmonic will present their spring concert on Sunday afternoon, April 28 at 2 p.m. at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, Vermont. Among the works featured will be my song cycle for soprano and orchestra, Reflections on the Way , a setting of four poems by beloved Vermont poet, the late David Budbill. The soprano will be the incomparable Mary Bonhag. It ought to be a very special concert!

Vermont Symphony Summer Tour
2024-07-02 19:30 - 21:30 | Vermont State University Castleton Pavilion, 360 South Street, Castleton, VT, 05735, United States
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra will perform my Matt’s Tune as part of their Summer Festival Tour at six locations throughout Vermont July 2-7.

Vermont Symphony Summer Tour
2024-07-03 19:30 - 21:30 | Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center, 783 Townshend Road, Grafton, VT, 05146, United States

Vermont Symphony Summer Tour
2024-07-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Shelburne Museum, 6000 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT, 05482, United States

Vermont Symphony Summer Tour
2024-07-05 19:30 - 21:30 | Saskadena Six Ski Area, 247 Stage Road, South Pomfret, VT, 05067, United States

Vermont Symphony Summer Tour
2024-07-06 19:30 - 20:30 | Burke Mountain Ski Resort, 2559 Mountain Road, East Burke, VT, 05832, United States

Vermont Symphony Summer Tour
2024-07-07 19:30 - 21:30 | Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow, 700 Trap Road, Stowe, VT, 05672, United States

The VSO at the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival
2024-08-22 14:00 - 15:00 | Wilson Hall at Middlebury College, 14 Old Chapel Road, Middlebury, VT, 05753, United States
The Vermont Symphony Orchestra will make its annual visit to the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival on Thursday, August 22 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Wilson Hall in the McCullough Student Center. They fill feature the final act of the film The Adventures of Prince Achmed, by revolutionary filmmaker Lotte Reiniger. It is the first full-length animated feature film, made in 1926. In 2019 I wrote a new score for full orchestra for the final two acts. For this showing of Act V I have arranged my music for large chamber ensemble.

TURNmusic presents "Hurtling Toward Oblivion"
2025-01-18 19:30 - 21:00 | The Phoenix Gallery (TURNmusic), 5 Stowe Street, Waterbury, VT, 05676, United States
TURNmusic presents a concert featuring their resident string quartet onTuesday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m. at their home in The Phoenix Gallery on Stowe Street in Waterbury, Vermont. They will perform a program of new music for string quartet by composers Vijay Iyer, Missy Mazzoli, Jessie Montgomery, Shelly Washington, and my friend and Vermont composing colleague Kyle Saulnier, as well as the world premiere of my 2022 piece Nadia (“hope” in Ukrainian), a work I dedicated to the people of Ukraine. It ought to be a very exciting program!

TURNmusic presents "Hurtling Toward Oblivion"
2025-01-19 16:00 - 17:30 | The Phoenix Gallery (TURNmusic), 5 Stowe Street, Waterbury, VT, 05676, United States
TURNmusic presents a concert featuring their resident string quartet on Sunday, January 19, at 4 p.m. at their home in The Phoenix Gallery on Stowe Street in Waterbury, Vermont. They will perform a program of new music for string quartet by composers Vijay Iyer, Missy Mazzoli, Jessie Montgomery, Shelly Washington, and my friend and Vermont composing colleague Kyle Saulnier, as well as the world premiere of my 2022 piece Nadia (“hope” in Ukrainian), a work I dedicated to the people of Ukraine. It ought to be a very exciting program!
