Award-winning Nicolas Bizub’s compositions draw from social, political, and emotional sources of inspiration. His compositional voice combines complex rhythmic patterns with interlocking textures, and bittersweet harmonies with soaring melodies to forge a visceral window into the light and dark sides of humanity. 

Recognized for his lush and colorful orchestral writing, Nicolas has received awards from the New York Youth Symphony First Music, The American Prize, Lawrence University, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. His string orchestra work Rise has received performances across the United States, including at the Philadelphia International Music Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, and the Interlochen Summer Arts Festival. He has been commissioned by the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra, CCM Concert Orchestra, and the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra. 

His chamber music has received awards from the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Wisconsin Cello Society, and Lawrence University. His chamber music has been performed by major new music ensembles and performers in the United States, including NOW Ensemble, Hypercube Ensemble, Cantala, the Zodiac Trio, Unheard-of Ensemble, F-PLUS, and violist Michael Hall. Nicolas was the 2014 recipient of the James Ming Scholarship in Composition and was awarded a Mellon Grant from Lawrence University in 2014 for the world premiere of his two piano work Divergence in Amsterdam. 

Nicolas maintains a busy schedule of performances throughout the United States. His compositions have recently been performed at Bryn Mawr College, CCM, Central Connecticut University, Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, College Light Opera Company in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Conservatorium van Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the Interlochen School for the Arts, Lawrence Conservatory of Music, the University of Iowa School of Music, the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He has been a presenting member of the Midwest Composers Symposium for the past two years. 

As an activist for new music, Nicolas has championed collaboration between composers and performers as the president of CCM’s Society of Composers Incorporated. During his tenure, Nicolas brought in leading new music ensembles and performers, including the Zodiac Trio, Unheard-of//Ensemble, F-PLUS, and violist Michael hall for concerts devoted entirely to new works. He is also a founding member of the Cincinnati-based Queen City Composer Collective (QC3).