Biography

My name is Nicholas Sparks. I was born on February 3, 2002, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

From an early age, I played pieces of classical music I remembered by ear on the piano. I later learned clarinet, saxophone, and pipe organ. I played clarinet and saxophone through middle and high school, participating in marching band, jazz band, pep band, and several honors bands. Today, the clarinet is my primary instrument, with piano and organ as my secondary.

I am an aspiring conductor and have worked to improve my craft for the last decade. My conducting debut was May 14, 2019, at Hudsonville High School’s spring concert, where I led my arrangement of selections from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. I continued my conducting studies with Dr. Henry Duitman, Dr. John Martin, and Dr. Joel Schut at Grand Valley State University.

I also compose for a variety of ensembles. My composition debut was April 12, 2024, at Grand Valley State University, when I premiered my piece, The Banshee of the Badlands, which I conducted. Since high school, I’ve written more works with mentors such as Dr. Olivia Kieffer and have composed pieces for ensembles ranging from middle school to college. My composition, The Grand Rapids March, has been performed both in my home state by various ensembles and overseas in Europe by the Blue Lake International Community Band.

I love classical and film music, drawing inspiration from composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and John Williams.

My faith in Jesus Christ is the ultimate driving force of what I do. Johann Sebastian Bach once said, “The final aim and reason of all music is nothing other than the glorification of God and the refreshment of the spirit.” I could not agree more with him. I see music as a gift from God, and I write to bring glory to Him who gave me that gift.

I currently attend Grand Valley State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education. I hold memberships in MSBOA and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America. I live in West Michigan with my wife, Rachel, and our daughter, Cadence.