Nikka Gershman
Nikka Gershman (born 12 December 2007) is a flute soloist and composer. Gershman has performed in some of the world's most venerated concert halls, including the Wiener Konzerthaus, Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Beethoven House, and Carnegie Hall.[1] She was a guest performer on NPR's From the Top,[2] New York's Classical Music Radio Station WQXR-FM,[3] and The Violin Channel.[4] Gershman was recognized as a "Rising Star" by New York's "Our Town" journal,[5] and as the 2024 "Emerging Artist of the Year" by The Flute Almanac global journal.[6] She was the featured artist on the cover of The Flute View.[7] Gershman made history as the youngest-ever Haynes Young Artist by the oldest flute manufacturer in America.[8] She has been described as having
"one-upped even Heifetz by performing Hora Staccato effortlessly on flute, with her own breath and no strings attached"[9]
by Rodney Punt, musicologist and contributor to Huffington Post Arts and Classical Voice North America.
Awards
[edit]- 2025: Winner, Beverly Hills National Auditions, iPalpiti Organization founded by Lord Yehudi Menuhin and Eduard and Laura Schmieder[10]
- 2023: Youngest ever recipient of the Kovner Fellowship, full tuition, room and board scholarship, The Juilliard School[11]
- 2023: National Winner with Distinction, YoungArts, National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists[12]
- 2023: 1st Prize Winner, San Francisco Flute Society International Competition[13]
- 2023: 1st Prize Winner, Pacific Musical Society & Foundation Composition Competition[14]
- 2022: Absolute First Prize, Concorso Internazionale A Tutto Flauto[15]
- 2022: Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant[16]
- 2022: Libby Larsen Composition Prize, 41st Search for New Music Competition, International Alliance for Women in Music[17]
- 2022: 1st Prize National Winner, Music Teachers’ National Association/MTNA[18]
- 2022: Sir James Galway “Outstanding Junior Performer” Award[19]
- 2022: 1st Prize International Winner, British Flute Society Young Performer Competition (BFS)[20]
- 2022: Grand Prize for Exceptional Talent and Musicianship, Pasadena Showcase House 35th Annual Instrumental Competition[21]
- 2021: 1st Prize Winner, Vancouver Symphony 27th Annual Young Artists’ Concerto Competition[22]
Compositions and transcriptions
[edit]Gershman is committed to expanding the flute repertoire. As part of championing the flute, Gershman's transcription of Ravel's "La Valse" for flute and piano made her the youngest-ever composer published by Theodore Presser.[23]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Flute View". August 2023.
- ^ "From the Top: Behind the Mic". NPR's From the Top.
- ^ "WQXR-FM". 4 March 2023.
- ^ "The Violin Channel". 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Our Town".
- ^ "World Premiere: 17-Year-Old Nikka Gershman Presents Her Flute Arrangement of Ravel's la Valse – Live from Juilliard". Flute Almanac. 18 February 2025.
- ^ "The Flute View cover". Facebook.
- ^ "William S. Haynes Flute Company Wikipedia Page".
- ^ "LA Opus".
- ^ "Beverly Hills National Auditions Winners". 28 December 2018.
- ^ "Juilliard Kovner Fellows".
- ^ "YoungArts Winners".
- ^ "SF Flute Society Winners". May 2023.
- ^ "Pacific Musical Society".
- ^ "Concorso Internazionale A Tutto Flauto". Facebook.
- ^ "New York's Salon de Virtuosi Announces 2022 Career Grant Winners". 26 July 2022.
- ^ "IAWM Search for New Music Winners".
- ^ "MTNA National Winners".
- ^ "Galway Flute Academy".
- ^ "British Flute Society". Facebook.
- ^ "Pasadena Now".
- ^ "The Violin Channel". 21 October 2021.
- ^ "Theodore Presser La Valse".