BIOGRAPHY
Nicholas Ormrod is a percussionist in the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. He was a pupil of James Blades, and is a graduate of the University of Surrey, where his professor was Reginald Smith Brindle. Following postgraduate study at the University of London, he spent over twenty years as a freelance player performing in almost every area and style of the music business prior to his appointment to Covent Garden in 2004. As a specialist in period instrument performance, Nicholas performs regularly with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the King's Consort, and has written various research articles on the subject. On more conventional instruments, Nicholas worked for such ensembles as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Philharmonia Orchestra and also enjoyed long standing associations with the National Theatre (Sunday in the Park with George, Candide), the Royal Shakespeare Company (The Wizard of Oz, Happy End), and the commercial world of the West End theatre (Carousel, Oliver!). Nicholas has given numerous clinics, including PASIC 2003 in Louisville, KY, Journèes de la Percussion 2004 in Paris, RNCM Percussion Day (2006), PASIC 2006 in Austin, TX, Percupassion 2006 in Lyon, Juilliard School of Music (2007), and PASIC 2009 in Indianapolis, IN. As a teacher, Nicholas has held positions at the Royal College of Music and Dartington College and he currently serves as president of the UK Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, from whom he was the recipient of the 2005 Outstanding Chapter President Award.
INSTRUMENTS
Joyful Noise Snare Drums
THOUGHTS
From Nicholas Ormrod
"As an orchestral percussionist I have always been a huge fan of the 1920s and 1930s snare drums made by Ludwig. The simplicity of design and the tone from the shell are perfect for the work I do.
"The only trouble is that the old instruments I have are getting very worn and delicate and so I was delighted when I stumbled across Curt Waltrip at the Joyful Noise Drum Company booth at PASIC 2006 and discovered that he was making an instrument that could do exactly the job I required! It only took a matter of moments before we realized that we were on the same wavelength when it came to drum design and sound, and when I explained to Curt about the ‘organic sound’ that I sought in a snare drum, he instantly understood.
"At last I have found an instrument made with the same level of care and precision as I aim to play with. The JNDC snare drums are works of art but are also beautifully simple! These drums do not have bells and whistles - they have exactly what is needed to make the perfect sound that I desire.
"This is what drew me to JNDC in the first instance - the sound of the drum and the level of craftsmanship. It is the perfect example of ‘form follows function’ in an acoustic way - Curt knows what is needed and does not dress it up with extraneous gadgets. Now that we have known each other for a couple of years, I realize that he is also extraordinarily open to ideas and is very keen to explore every aspect of refining the drum down to the smallest imaginable detail!
"All this and a charitable foundation contribution as well… I am very proud to be associated with a product of this calibre."
