SDSYO - Artistic Staff

Nicholas Sharma

SDSYO Music Director and Conductor of Youth Orchestra, Sinfonia, & Prelude Strings

Canadian-American conductor Nicholas Sharma is the Assistant Conductor of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and the Music Director of the South Dakota Symphony Youth Orchestra. This past season, Sharma made his conducting debuts with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. This year, Sharma returns to conduct the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, where he had previously served as conducting fellow.

With the South Dakota Symphony Youth Orchestra, Sharma brings over a decade of private violin and viola teaching experience. He has worked with youth orchestras such as the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Eugene-Springfield Youth Orchestra, and served as music director for the New Horizons Community Orchestra in Rochester and the University of Oregon Campus Orchestra.

Sharma holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) in Orchestral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music, studying with Neil Varon, as well as a Masters in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Oregon, studying with David Jacobs. Before his conducting studies, Sharma earned a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance studying with violinist Oleh Krysa. Sharma has attended several conducting workshops and festivals including the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, New World Symphony Orchestra in Miami, the National Academy Orchestra of Canada and the 2019 Albert Tipton Conducting Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival. He has participated in masterclasses with Michael Tilson Thomas, Stephan Denève, Neeme Järvi, Nicholas McGegan, Mark Stringer and Robert Spano.