My name is Nhick and I’m a Filipino-American music composer, arranger and pianist in Tampa, Florida. I grew up and studied in the Philippines but I moved to Tampa in 2001. I am now working at the Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc. as in-house music director, web designer and graphic artist. I also have a post at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Ybor City as resident organist, choir director and [reluctant] cantor.
Though pianist by initial profession, I have had so much success as a composer/arranger. Creating music has been second nature to me for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I have been playing musicals while the neighbors were playing house. Though not as popular as other big time composers, I am getting my own share of the pie. I have arranged and composed musicals and soundtracks for films, I have arranged and composed for solo instruments, choirs, ethnic ensembles and even orchestra. I have made music with and for all kinds of people ranging from townsfolk community groups to grade school kids to nuns, showbiz peeps, amateur and professional choirs, pop and classical artists and many more. It has been quite an experience and it still is.
Since my first pc, I developed the passion for web and graphics design and video editing in addition to music software. Learning through experience and with the help of books and through internet resources, I bravely dipped my toes into the world of photoshop, html and web publishing and I am immensely enjoying it! As a matter of fact, this is now part of my workload at my present music director day job: maintaining the company’s website and creating all sorts of publicity materials from post cards to banners.
Just like any struggling artist in America, I go for every gig that I can squeeze into my schedule: apart from my day job, I teach, I have choir rehearsals some nights of the week, I play the organ and conduct the choir on weekends, I play for weddings, accompany other artists and perform in shows and concerts every now and then. One thing that’s constant though is that when I come home at the end of the day, I do more musical experiments at my computer after walking the dogs or tending the garden. Sometimes I paint. Or edit more photos and videos. Or just edit my own site. Anything creative that I could lay my hands on. Creativity is an itch that doesn’t go away!