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Mr Nick Ellis

Member, Musical Director, Lead

Bio/Profile



 

Chorus Details

Chorus: Brisbane River City Clippers
Role(s): Musical Director, Lead
Status: Active
Special role with this ensemble: Musical Director

Quartet Details

Quartet: Three Squirrels and a Nut
Role(s): Lead
Status: Active

Quartet Details

Quartet: Out of the Blue
Role(s): Lead
Status: Active

Three Squirrels and a Nut Details

Bio/Profile

Front man Nick is the one you’ll hear most of if you come to one of our gigs. He’s also the one that cracks the whip at rehearsals. Initially singing the tenor part, Nick decided he needed more of the limelight so switched to Lead. Occasionally he steps aside to let Damian shine, swapping into baritone. Don’t ask Nick to sing bass though. Nick has been known to arrange a tune or two for us to sing and call our own.

Nick strenuously denies that he is the Nut.

Brisbane River City Clippers Barbershop Chorus Inc Details

Club: Brisbane River City Clippers Barbershop Chorus Inc
Office(s): Musical Director

Bio/Profile

Nick’s singing career began in musical theatre as a member of the concert troupe Applecarte based in Kent, England. Initially in the chorus for productions such as Iolanthe, he moved on to principal roles such as Motel in Fiddler On The Roof and, after moving to Australia, one of the title roles in Savoyards’ Cox and Box.

He took formal voice training with mezzo soprano Judith Buckle, initially focussing on the English art song repertoire, and later joining her touring company Cameo Opera in productions of Madame Butterfly and La Traviata in various venues around the south of England.

Having discovered the barbershop style in 1994, Nick has loved it ever since. He was a founder member of the Redlands barbershop chorus Bayside Harmony and soon became its musical director, taking it to win the Small Chorus category at the national competition in 1997. Nick has also sung in many quartets as either baritone, lead or tenor (not bass!), and made it to a top-ten ranking at nationals in 2005, an achievement his current quartet, Three Squirrels and a Nut, hopes to surpass.

Nick also plays trumpet in the Redland City Bands with a preference for the jazzier repertoire.

Nick has been the River City Clippers’ director since 2017. His career highlight so far was the privilege of directing the chorus’ moving performance of If I Give My Heart To You at the 2018 nationals in Adelaide. He is looking for more such moments in the future.


 

Inactive memberships and participations

Membership: Former Member of Bayside Barbershop Singers Inc - NO LONGER ACTIVE (inactive club)

Membership: Former Member of Gold Coast Harmony Inc (club)

Participation: Inactive Lead with Sound Connection (chorus)