About
Nicholas Kitchen is a Professor in the Strings Department of the College division at New England Conservatory, where he has served as Faculty Quartet in Residence for nearly 30 years. He holds a BA from Curtis Institute and an Artist Diploma from NEC, having studied violin with James Buswell, Giorgio Ciompo, David Cerone, and Szymon Goldberg. Kitchen simultaneously serves as Artistic Director of the Heifetz International Music Institute.
His research integrates chamber music performance with interdisciplinary education and technology innovation. Key interests include:
- Arranging Baroque and jazz works for string ensembles (Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Goldberg Variations, Bill Evans transcriptions)
- Developing STEAM curricula like MatheMusica (combining music with mathematics/science)
- Pioneering digital score technologies using USB page-turning pedals
- Beethoven manuscript analysis and performance practice
Awards recognizing his contributions include:
- Avery Fischer Career Grant
- Cleveland Quartet Award
- First Prize at Evian International Quartet Competition
- Albert Schweitzer Medallion for Artistry
He founded the Living Archive initiative preserving live performances and previously directed the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival. As violinist of the Borromeo String Quartet, he maintains an active global performance schedule at venues including Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, and Suntory Hall.
