Nicholas has been the artistic director of Nevill Holt Opera since the creation of the festival in 2013. His direction has seen this award winning festival produce 7 new operas, revive 5 productions, and create a nationally recognised education and young artist programme. In addition to his work with Nevill Holt Opera, Nicholas is a founding artistic director of Second Movement. Their ‘Rough for Opera’ series has commissioned and showcased more than 40 young composers and librettists. With his long term collaborator, director Oliver Mears, he has created over 20 productions. With Nevill Holt Opera, Nicholas has conducted The Magic Flute, La Bohème, The Turn of the Screw, Carmen, Rigoletto, The Elixir of Love, Tosca, Noye’s Fludde, Le Nozze di Figaro, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Cosí fan tutte. For Second Movement he has conducted Mozart and Salieri, Trouble in Tahiti, The Medium and Impresario, Les Deux Aveugles, Rothschild’s Violin and The Knife’s Tears. Conducting engagements with Northern Ireland Opera include The Medium, Tosca (Best Opera - Irish Times Theatre Awards), The Turn of the Screw, Noye’s Fludde (Belfast Zoo, Beijing and Shanghai), The Flying Dutchman, The Bear, Macbeth, The Magic Flute, Salome, Don Giovanni, Powder Her Face and Cosí fan tutte. Nicholas works with the major UK orchestras and choirs. Most recently with The BBC Singers, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Britten Sinfonia, The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, The English Chamber Orchestra and The Ulster Orchestra. He is the Associate Conductor of the London Oriana Choir and Organist and Director of Music at St Jude-on-the-hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb. He has been on the music staff at English National Opera, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Chichester Cathedral. Nicholas studied music at Lincoln College, Oxford and the Piacenza Conservatoire. Future engagements include Bernstein’s A Quiet Place at The Royal Opera House where Nicholas is a Senior Associate Artist (Opera) and the curator of the ROH Opera Nation ‘Songbook’ (a book of famous opera aria arrangements for 14-18 year olds). At Covent Garden, Nicholas also leads the Sing at ROH programme and works with the youth opera company. Nicholas made his BBC Proms conducting debut in 2020 with the BBC Singers at the first night of the festival.