Roots

 

Nick Barr is a freelance musician and audio engineer who found himself in the world of video production during the pandemic in 2020. He has been performing professionally since high school in 2012, playing bass and guitar in rock and jazz combos, and as a percussionist with the Glacier Symphony in Kalispell, MT. After high school, Nick attended the University of Montana, where he studied Music Performance (Trumpet) and Music Composition. While there, he spent two years as principal trumpet of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, three years as principal trumpet of the UM Symphony Orchestra, and one year as lead/section leader in the top Jazz Ensemble. In addition to large ensembles, Nick was also an active member in numerous jazz combos and chamber ensembles, including the premiere Celebration Brass Quintet. Nick studied trumpet with Dr. James Smart, John Driscoll, and Dr. Brendan McGlynn. He studied Composition with Dr. Bryan Curt Kostors and Dr. Emilie LeBel.

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Career

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Professionally, Nick performs all over the Missoula area on guitar and trumpet. Most frequently he plays guitar with vocalist Margi Cates. The two have been creating and writing music since 2021, and are currently working on a full length album to be released sometime in 2024.

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Nick has become a steady musician with the Missoula Community Theatre, playing guitar and trumpet in shows since 2016. On guitar, these include Rent (Guitar 1), 35 MM, Workin', Matilda, Bridges of Madison County (Guitar 1), Cabaret, Next to Normal, Nunsense Jamboree (Bass Guitar), Rock of Ages (Guitar 1), Suessical (Guitar 1), Songs for a New World (Bass Guitar), James and the Giant Peach, Mama Mia (Guitar 1 & 2), and Tarzan. On trumpet, Nick has played A Christmas Story, Wizard of Oz, A Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Assassins, Sister Act, Freaky Friday, Elf the Musical, Newsies, and The Happy Elf (all principal trumpet).

 

Nick also holds a section trumpet position in the Missoula Symphony Orchestra.

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Nick, like many millennial musicians, experimented with home recording at a young age. Over the years, he started recording and mixing his own music projects, and moved into doing the same with friends and colleagues. During the pandemic, he turned it into a profession alongside videography, creating virtual band and choir videos for local schools and University groups. In June 2020, Nick was hired as a student audio engineer for the student-led production crew KPCN at the University of Montana. In this job, he grew his skills as a sound mixer and re-recording mixer. Additionally, he had the opportunity to compose and record custom soundtracks for each video. In 2021, Nick took his skills to Warm Springs Productions, and became involved with several TV shows such as How America Works, Battles for America, Duck Family Treasure, and more. Before moving out on his own, he worked as the re-recording mixer for Duck Family Treasure and select episodes of The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger, and was an assistant mixer on Mountain Men, Mountain Men: Ultimate Marksman, Into the Wild Frontier, Yellowstone 150, In With the Old, Holden Brothers Garage, My Dream Car, American Dream Home, How America Works, and Battles for America. 

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Teaching

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Starting in 2007, Nick began attending Flathead Lake Music Camp, taking place once a summer on the shores of Flathead lake in Montana. This camp has seen thousands of students since its first week in 1985. Nick is lucky enough to have been a camper for eight years, and an instructor/counselor for an additional five. He credits the majority of his musical influences and motivation to this camp, and has had the opportunity to work with several renowned instructors and current professionals. However, due to the recent pandemic, the camp is struggling to stay afloat, and needs your help. If you are able, please consider donating or becoming a sponsor of this one of a kind music camp. Your contribution could give life to a young students music career. Click the link below to learn more, or email flatheadlakemusiccamp@gmail.com if you have questions.

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http://www.flatheadlakemusiccamp.org/home.html

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https://www.facebook.com/FlatheadLakeMusicCamp/?ref=page_internal