We’re featuring Nathan Cicero (MM ’18, Vocal Accompanying) on Max Q! Since graduating, Nathan has built a career as a freelance collaborator, church musician, and as music staff for numerous opera companies including Sarasota Opera, Chicago Summer Opera, and Pensacola Opera. We discuss the path to becoming a collaborative pianist, life working as a pianist in an opera company, building a freelance career, and the differences between playing for musicians and a general audience.

Nathan’s Recommendations:

• Bulletproof Musician Podcast
  
• Martin Katz’s “The Complete Collaborator”
  
• “Life of the Opera Pianist” Facebook Page
  

Closing out the episode we have a recording of Nathan playing Poulenc’s “Madrigal,” with Baritone Mark Billy. 

Recorded Jan. 30, 2023

2022 Intro music by Aaron Gao. Audio editing by Greg Hays. Logo by MegDig Design.