School of Music

Contact Information
Office:  Festival Theatre, Room 206
Email:  nicholas.damato@acadiau.ca

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interests and Expertise: 

• Although I have performed and loved everything from the masterworks of the Western Classical cannon to the raw rage of being in a punk band, the music's that are most at my core all come from the African American traditions. (Blues, Funk, Jazz and Soul)
• A key area of interest for me is decentering the Western Classical focus traditionally associated with studying music at the post-secondary level.
• My recent research has focused on experiential learning and prioritizing an embodied understanding of music over a theoretical one. Although I began looking at this through the lens of neurodiversity, which is still a primary focus, I quickly came to understand that the existing scholarship is universally applicable, thus informing all my teaching practices.

Community & Ensemble Involvement: 

• I work as a bassist and side-person in a number of groups; everything from singer/songwriters, jazz groups, special events, to an REM tribute band.
• As a member of Nicola Miller's Living Things, I recently finished recording the follow up to our well-received debut album, nominated for Music Nova Scotia's "Jazz Album of the Year."  
• I am currently scoring and producing the music for "Bird Country," an upcoming documentary on migratory birds in Nova Scotia. 

Fun Fact: 

• If not for music, I would definitely be a race car driver. My father instilled a life-long love of cars and auto racing in me. The result is a super-nerd who can tell you every Formula 1 World Champion since its inception in 1950. I never miss a race.