Education // Workshops
Afro-Brazilian Percussion
Nik specialises in teaching Afro-Brazilian percussion to groups of all ages and ability levels. His sessions comprise primarily of original music inspired by the Brazilian carnival tradition and the music of Candomblé. He is a highly competent percussionist with knowledge of a vast array of instruments, techniques, and styles, which allow him to offer detailed instruction to players at any level.
Nik has led groups in the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, China, and Brazil
Theatre // Musical Direction
Nik has worked in both traditional theatre and street theatre as a performer, composer, and musical director. He has also worked with community theatre projects, facilitating the composition of original music as live accompaniment to theatre and dance.
Previous projects can be found here
DrumDin, Whitley Bay Carnival '18 © Michael Bailey
Mongrel UK 'A Thousand Tales'
Sage Gateshead Hall 2
Current Projects
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Musical Director - DrumDin
Nik became Musical Director of DrumDin in 2011. The group is a fully open community project and currently has over 40 members of all ages and ability levels. They are entirely funded by performance revenue and in recent years have organised trips to Brazil and Belgium in order to study and perform. In 2020, 15 members of the group performed in Carnaval in Brazil, both on the main circuit with Bloco Afro Muzenza do Reggae, and performing their own music in Pelourinho www.drumdin.com
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Musical Director/Mentor - Whitley Bay Samba
Nik was invited by Whitley Bay Big Local to create Whitley Bay Samba in 2013 . After teaching the group himself for 5 years, he offered the role of director to Callum Dyer, one of his young students. Nik now works alongside him in sessions as a mentor, allowing Callum to develop as a composer and leader while ensuring the quality of delivery remains at a high standard
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Associate Artist - Jack Drum Arts
Nik has worked with Jack Drum Arts since 2013 on a wide range of community music projects. He was instrumental in the creation of their Brazilian percussion group, Runaway Samba, and musically directed the project in it's early stages. Alongside this, he currently trains their team to deliver percussion workshops through CPD sessions and a mentoring scheme similar to his project in Whitley Bay, as well as working as a facilitator and performer at various events
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Composer/Percussion Lead - Nordestinos
This project is a partnership between Jack Drum Arts and DrumDin to create a large-scale carnival bloc in North-East England, inspired by the music and dance of the Blocos Afros found in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. Working with a team of musicians and dancers, Nik is creating music which combines references to life in Tyne & Wear and the strong creative and industrial heritage found there with Afro-Brazilian Candomblé and Samba Reggae music
Previous Projects
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Musical Director/Facilitator - Jackass Youth Theatre 'What Are They Like?' 2016
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Stilt-walking workshops - NWSI & Jack Drum Arts 2015
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Facilitator - Jack Drum Arts Halloween Happening 2015
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Workshop Leader - St John's School Bishop Auckland Steel Band 2014
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Workshop Leader - St John's School Bishop Auckland Samba Band 2013
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Musical Director - Runaway Samba, Jack Drum Arts 2013-14
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Project Musician - The Sage Gateshead Learning & Participation Programme 2010-12
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Musical Director - Mongrel Youth Theatre 'A Thousand Tales' 2011
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Musician/Facilitator - Mongrel Youth Theatre 'The Journey Home' 2010
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Tabla to Timpani world music workshops - North Tyneside Schools tour 2009
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Teachers workshops in World Music - Monster Productions 2009
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Under 7s Workshops in World Music - Monster Productions 2009
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Percussion workshop for practioners – Dance City 2008
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Project Musician, Afoxé Loni - Creative Partnerships Northumberland, Berlin Germany 2007
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Schools Workshops in Brazilian music – Creative Partnerships Northumberland 2007
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Workshop & Talk, Music for Film – Music Teachers Conference 2007
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Musical Director - ‘A Batida da Rua’, Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham 2005-06
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Workshops in Brazilian music & dance – Bishop Auckland 2005
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Workshop Leader – ‘Soccer Samba’ One Voice Music & Creative Partnerships Tees Valley 2004
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Music for Theatre – Bishopsgarth School, Stockton 2004
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Workshop leader – North Tyneside Childrens University 2003
DrumDin, Whitley Bay Carnival '18 © Michael Bailey