One of the most decorated saxophonists of her generation, Nicki Roman has won prizes at prestigious competitions such as the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Solo Competition, Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Solo Competition, William C. Byrd International Competition, Fischoff, and the Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship. She has been a featured concerto soloist with the Eastman Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Wind Ensemble, UW-Milwaukee Wind Ensemble, Illinois Wind Symphony, University of North Florida Orchestra, and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Across North America, Europe, and Asia, Nicki has shared solo and chamber music performances at venues such as the China National Centre for the Performing Arts, Shandong University of the Arts, Zagreb Academy of Music, Krannert Center for Performing Arts, Rio All-Suite Casino in Las Vegas, Brevard Summer Music Festival, and the Zelazo Performing Arts Center. She has collaborated on several projects with Hal Leonard Publishing and has premiered over 30 works for her instrument. She is the soprano saxophonist with the award-winning Fuego Quartet.

Nicki proudly serves as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She also presents clinics, recitals, and masterclasses at numerous universities throughout the year. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the Eastman School of Music, and also holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of North Florida. Her former teachers include Chien-Kwan Lin, Debra Richtmeyer, Dale Underwood, Michael Bovenzi, and Bunky Green. Nicki is a Conn-Selmer and Vandoren artist, as well as a member of NASA’s Committee on the Status of Women.

Albums

Unquiet Waters

Release Date: August 27, 2021
Catalog Number: RR8055
21st Century
Chamber
Piano
Saxophone
With a potent timbre and powerful volume, the saxophone is an instrument that demands respect. Nicki Roman—saxophonist with the award-winning Fuego Quartet—is deftly able to wrest control of the mighty woodwind, making the most of its range and tone. On Ravello Records’ UNQUIET WATERS, Roman takes listeners on a tour of the saxophone’s capabilities, from Leonard Bernstein’s jazzy syncopated rhythms to lyrical wedding marches, to complex works free of barlines. Each piece is different from the last, showcasing not only the breadth and potential of saxophone repertoire, but Roman’s own virtuosity and technique as a performer. Roman is accompanied by longtime collaborator and pianist Casey Dierlam Tse, another herald of new music who plays in lockstep to enrich the saxophone’s tone.

Migration

Release Date: April 12, 2019
Catalog Number: RR8010
21st Century
Chamber
Saxophone
The Fuego Quartet, featuring saxophonists Nicki Roman, Erik Elmgren, Harrison Clarke, and Gabriel Piqué, makes their Ravello Records debut with the innovative MIGRATION, a collection that demonstrates the versatility and complexity of the saxophone as it migrates through genre boundaries.