https://www.nilshigdon.com/bio daily 0.75 2024-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/b36df4f7-c5c9-4835-9db4-2c1e87b64c7e/Edited+Bio+Pic.jpg Bio Nils Higdon Quartet, live at the Maxwell Drum Shop, January 2018 https://www.nilshigdon.com/contact daily 0.75 2020-05-29 https://www.nilshigdon.com/home daily 1.0 2026-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590646885170-I2NWMWCCLJ188KL3I3EO/smile.jpg https://www.nilshigdon.com/gallery daily 0.75 2021-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/c5bb940d-1eeb-4b29-9e6f-91a066f9a067/Brass+Animals+UC.png Gallery Bringing Brass band to the United Center with the Brass Animals. Go Blackhawks! Spring, 2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/88f4dc9d-cebf-4acf-ab72-e363463d5b7e/Screenshot+2024-11-18+at+11.06.40%E2%80%AFPM.png Gallery Performing Basque folk music at Millennium Park with Uniting Voices Chicago for their 2023 Paint the Town Red festival. Many thanks to UVC and Amaia Gabantxo for the gig. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/e805362c-831e-495f-8e43-b380b6b6d395/7d629c83-4cfc-49dc-bf2a-34937ca6ee8c.jpeg Gallery Flamenco pre-show for Carmen, by the Joffrey Ballet. Lyric Opera Building, September 2025. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647405110-2UYW8ONQZ5BBXICQ4MQ1/4+Star+Jazz+Fest+.jpg Gallery Second Line Parade for the 2019 Chicago Jazz Festival https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/23227777-4447-47e8-9f4d-eb747fa870db/Screenshot+2026-03-29+at+11.56.34%E2%80%AFPM.png Gallery Great image from my recent gig at the Mill. James Sanders and I just finished the set with an arrangement I wrote of the Portuguese piece, "Amor Mais Perfeito". Even cooler, Von Freeman's picture looks over us in the background. March, 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647126302-V2TC42UE4CJ1P4N17ZU5/cso.jpg Gallery Just finished performing at Orchestra Hall as a guest artist with the CYSO for their 2018 Gala. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/02ac0185-11d9-44c8-b0d1-e420a7bd853f/Screenshot+2024-06-08+at+10.00.16%E2%80%AFAM.png Gallery I played for the Blackhawks game and they won, so clearly they won because of me. I know how sports work. Spring, 2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1df2b30f-5f5f-4d2d-87c7-a3dfd5876456/459019567_8863434667019268_1914450656013359933_n.jpg Gallery Just finished playing two sold out concerts at Andy's Jazz Club, one of the top jazz venues in Chicago. It was an honor to play Shawn Maxwell's killer original music. September, 2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/cf2f2711-bbf0-4d6e-8978-776607ea9d87/Mole+De+mayo.jpg Gallery Mole de Mayo Festival 2023. iViva Pilsen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/7064310a-82ac-4a5d-9b2a-abf7a59b7666/549207109_25312021558400652_3964358372331259139_n.jpg Gallery Flamenco pre-show! Playing entrance music for the Joffrey Ballet's production of Carmen. Lyric Opera Building. September, 2025. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647198636-78XJWN7ODXB000WJKR2A/4winds.jpg Gallery Brass Band NYE at the Four Winds Casino with Justin Amolsch and Los Cumbancheros! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/76bf98dd-add0-4c8a-83e2-f3204325527b/Screenshot+2025-06-15+at+7.32.47%E2%80%AFPM.png Gallery No Kings Protest with Chicago Federation of Musicians. Summer, 2025. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/c2204af4-153c-4895-819e-fab439b516a8/four-star-brass-band-at-fountain-downtown-chicago-il.jpg Gallery Playing 2nd Line at Buckingham Fountain for the mayor of Chicago during the height of the pandemic. Music is an unstoppable force of hope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/9ecc1f98-45eb-4dec-aaba-2359165fc4e8/duo.jpg Gallery Performing drum set and saxophone duets at Fulton Street Collective with one of Chicago's favorite saxophonists, Andy Schlinder. June 18th, 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/155b3048-fa3a-4eb1-90f5-a941b3008a67/DSC00741.JPG Gallery Rehearsing for a recording session at Columbia College Chicago with the great Nick Eipers. I am thrilled to finally record some of my own compositions. April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647344268-2BOYL6APOS7AOB1IC30S/joel+hall.jpg Gallery Live jazz and Dance at the Logan Center with Jesse Charbonier and the Joel Hall Dancers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/c6660ebd-4db3-4e69-9fcc-3ee9247c1d7c/angel.jpg Gallery All Cats Are Gods https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/8b1901ba-a648-49c0-b541-13524a39823c/txalaparta.png Gallery Being featured on Txalaparta at Millennium Park with Uniting Voices Chicago and Amaia Gabantxo. May 2023. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/08624a11-4a98-4c9b-beef-93095370d386/FullSizeRender-8.jpg Gallery Mole De Mayo Festival in Pilsen with Giovany Revelle. Long live Rock and Roll. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590648163565-GRY19KHKC8MLWIGYL9EE/metamorphosis.jpg Gallery Subbing with Thomas Madjea's Metamorphosis Youth Orchestra at Millenium Park. The Future is Bright! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/4bd50569-0852-49ec-ab9f-4d8e6fb0e3ec/My+Drums%21+.jpg Gallery The Axe! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590648371815-8J3NT81VYXCC94DM63D3/front+room+.jpg Gallery Live Jazz at The Front Room with Thomas Madeja and Wayne Jones! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/b7c9b123-4ef9-414f-ba04-22f41cbb4ca8/Angel.jpg Gallery Ángel del Corazón, drum soloist extraordinaire https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/22ca820f-5de2-4f65-b4fb-f7b4f0dfb1a2/Don+Juan.jpg Gallery Don Juan de Pilsen - The Cat, The Myth, The Legend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/9a525542-fcdf-4f8e-a740-f597be7b23e6/31st.jpg Gallery Skyline view from the south (better) side of Chicago https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647929391-NGDJL5FXW7FUZPOYZLOA/Stand+By+Me+.jpg Gallery Playing my arrangement of "Stand By Me" at my brother's wedding https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590648285012-VNMZS2IC2B80IF6LS29V/OPCC.jpg Gallery Struggling to see the conductor with the Oak Park Concert Chorale. I either need to get small chimes or grow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590725246951-TQZG46TUJKGSCD6CO64D/osm%21.jpg Gallery Easter 2016 at Old St. Mary's church in the south loop, performing under the direction of Scott Will. The first gig back after severely injuring my hands. Onward and upward! :) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/9745f7ca-e3b2-4977-bf2c-e9b8a8089d76/bcv90ogig+photo.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590648457039-Y34PJNB7AQ078C5JNUSK/rehearsal.jpg Gallery Just Finishing a rehearsal with Kantuz and guest dancers Ed Clemmons and Leticia Aravena. I'm so lucky to work with them! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647981477-FQTGUPSUFSJUPFNEIAWK/NEIU.jpg Gallery Backstage before the wind ensemble concert at NEIU https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647665540-3ZS988T6EPMTJYLHKFSJ/GI+Jam.jpg Gallery Just finished performing a set of my original music with some of Chicago's finest musicians for Roosevelt Griffin and his students. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590647588973-Q3OFMILOXPB694YE9VYE/Kantuz+2.jpg Gallery Performing the music of Spain with Kantuz at Instituto Cervantes, Chicago https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590986675233-ZLI3U4CO0G3CY361XS80/cat+rawk.jpg Gallery Angel del Corazón, the famous ladies man from the heart of Chicago https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1591554203817-COF4OUYSHQ87VYM0SN7E/Rhythm+Section.jpg Gallery Nils Higdon 4tet, live at the Maxwell Drum Shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/2eb4ab01-f067-4301-b23d-799d0a5b08c2/SAH.jpg Gallery Protesting Donald Trump with Chicago's very own brass-clad crime fighters, Sousaphones Against Hate. Vote Blue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1591554091455-1JU1OSGFC4U7BVZIGH70/OPRF.jpg Gallery Many thanks to the wonderful Meredith McGuire for including me on a wonderful program of world music at Oak Park River Forest High School https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1591471417169-P9GNSIGRHM4LD7JU46D6/18th+street+Shot+.jpg Gallery Photo Shoot in my beautiful neighborhood of Pilsen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/8b5c1ca4-6454-4cd2-8297-58c005e36fec/Txalaparta.jpeg Gallery Performing Basque folk music on the main stage in Millenium Park in Chicago. If you look closely in the bottom left of the screen you can see that this photo is actually of a TV. The concert was broadcast all the way to Spain. https://www.nilshigdon.com/music daily 0.75 2023-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590820542171-2VYDBHMKN8J3DAM6P36T/showcase+o-face.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/a3f6607c-49cd-4ca2-bd43-1c22e2f2cc55/Madeja+session.jpg https://www.nilshigdon.com/teaching daily 0.75 2020-06-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1590729287065-C72EDZFRUZ4MRHFTX9AV/metamorphosis.jpg Teaching Philosophy - Music education should not simply produce strong performers, but help to cultivate character, life skills, and future leaders of society. If instructors only teach things like rudiments and scales when we teach music, we are letting students down. Playing music is not simply another task to be conquered, or competition to win, but a journey students take part in to grow as individuals, and become better members of a community. Plus, music is really fun and cool! What else can you do where you simultaneously become a better person and get funky? <happy dance> WHY IS MUSIC IMPORTANT? *Music is essential to everyone because it shows us how to be exceptional at anything we do. *The art of playing your instrument improves your individual character, while the practice of being part of an ensemble improves your character as a community member. *Because character and life skills apply to everything, and music teaches those exact things, studying music is one of the MOST practical things you can do. *Learning music history teaches us the challenges are successes of those that came before us, so that we can make better decisions now. *Lastly, music is fun and cool! Physics is important, too, but you can’t dance to it. A strong music education cultivates the work ethic, discipline, grit, and team working skills necessary to achieve any goal you set your mind to. Music allows students to succeed, and gives them the opportunity to feel success on a visceral level. When a student feels success for the first time, they will be hooked. All of the skills you learn from music will be applicable to other areas of your life, for the rest of your life. Plus, if you google “benefits of music education”, about 77 million results come up, so there are probably one or two other good things about music that I didn’t mention here. In my late twenties I experienced a catastrophic health crisis that left me with a severe disorder of the nervous system and three injuries. Regaining my health was something I had to work for, and I used to exact same process to become healthy again that I used to practice music. I can literally say that music saved my life. https://www.nilshigdon.com/about-1 daily 0.75 2022-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/1633747067980-I898MEOTSAB7FJJ7CP6Z/PMC10343-web.jpg Teaching Information - What makes me unique as an instructor? There are so many ways to answer this- my charm, sharp wit, and fierce fashion sense all immediately come to mind. But when do they not? Did I mention my ponytail? Not to take away from any of those things, but there are other things that make my teaching unique, as well. * My original teaching manual! - Over the last few years I have developed my work, Percussion Practicing Guidebook, and every student gets a free digital copy. It is the only book I know of that focuses directly on the art of practicing, so students can learn as thoroughly and efficiently as possible. It is ninety-five pages long and provides clear and simple methods for how to best practice all of the most useful tasks a beginning and intermediate percussionist needs to know. The book covers snare drum, drum set, mallets, and timpani. * Original compositions and arrangements! - While I am well-versed in the standard teaching repertoire and written solos for beginning and intermediate percussionists, I also routinely compose my own works, often for the specific student I am working with. These pieces generally include piano accompaniment and are practical, intellectually rigorous, audience friendly, and fun! You can hear student performances of some of these pieces on this site. * Very wide range of musical experience! - While many percussion teachers focus on either drum set or classical percussion, I do both, and a lot of world music, as well. I knew that I wanted to teach for many years, so I made acquiring a diverse range of skills a priority in order to best serve the needs of my students. I have had students successfully audition for both Jazz Studies and Music Education programs and receive significant scholarships, as well. I do not consider myself “a performer that decided to teach a little”, but rather “A teacher that performs a lot”. For me, teaching and playing are two sides of the same job and I love them both equally. * Videos of student performances and recordings for Zoom lessons! - Over ten years of teaching in a variety of settings, I have learned that recitals are frequently problematic due to logistical problems with equipment and scheduling. Also, for students that finish pieces quickly, they have to choose only one piece to perform. Because of this, student performances are always recorded so you can see everything that is completed. If lessons are conducted over Zoom, I am frequently able to make a practice track for the student to play with. From there, students are able to record themselves playing and I can put the tracks together so we have a recording of the piece for parents to listen to. https://www.nilshigdon.com/student-performances daily 0.75 2020-06-01 https://www.nilshigdon.com/new-page daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/b1b5d976-0d2d-4e88-830c-f10c3761b2f5/FINAL%21%21%21.jpg https://www.nilshigdon.com/guidebook daily 0.75 2022-12-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/0afd9a2c-3e4c-4b05-8ada-3bdf34867a2f/PPG+cover.jpg Guidebook - Success, Demystified. “Magic is just science we don’t understand yet.” -Tony Stark With the first draft recently completed, Percussion Practicing Guidebook is seeing excellent reviews from educators and great success with students. A rather original idea, the book gives simple, clear, and efficient step-by-step guides for how to develop the most useful fundamental skills on each of the main percussion instruments. So often we tell students to practice, but we never tell them HOW to practice. This book fills that need and allows students to cultivate substantial, quality musicianship in a short period of time. Percussion Practicing Guidebook is designed to be fun, because music music should be fun. (Of course.) Not only is the book extremely practical, but it features many photos of my glorious cats, Angel del Corazón and Don Juan de Pilsen, both internationally renowned ladies men from the heart of Chicago. If you are interested in receiving a digital copy of the book to review, you can email me at NilsHigdon@Gmail.com https://www.nilshigdon.com/thesis daily 0.75 2023-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ecdd9ac674ee219c1446a8f/d476eb58-4413-41b5-af76-6498a5f5d77b/IMG_7881+2.jpg https://www.nilshigdon.com/store daily 0.75 2022-12-17