Nicole van Bruggen performs with orchestras and chamber music ensembles in Europe and Australia, and is a highly respected exponent in historical clarinet, basset horn, basset clarinet and chalumeau. She is passionate about chamber music from the 18th and 19th centuries and has recorded numerous CDs presenting various research projects into this rich repertoire.
Nicole is principal clarinettist and member of the Artistic Team for the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra under the artistic direction of Richard Gill AO. She has been and remains principal clarinettist in many of Europe’s finest historical instrument orchestras such as Concerto Copenhagen (Denmark), Barokksolistene (Norway), New Dutch Academy (Holland), Arte dei Suonatori (Poland), Barokopera Amsterdam and Concerto d’Amsterdam. She has performed with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, The Netherlands Bach Society, Tafelmusik (Canada), Les Musiciens du Louvre (France), Australian Classical Era Orchestra, and Ludovico’s Band (Australia).
Nicole won prizes at the International Van Wassenaar International Chamber Music Concours in 2001 and the prestigious Flanders Festival Competition in Bruges in 1999, and performed for many years at the Utrecht Early Music Festival as well as other major festivals in Europe. In addition to her performing career, Nicole is committed to music education, particularly associated with Historically Informed Performance (HIP). She regularly conducts education projects in schools and tertiary institutions and has often been invited to participate in forums and offer her advice as specialist in HIP and as a chamber music programmer and presenter. Nicole is currently teaching historical clarinet at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is specialist clarinet teacher at Matthew Flinders Anglican College and St Andrews Anglican College. She has been a panel member for the historical clarinet examinations at the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague and at the Utrecht Early Music Festival, advising emerging artists on the formation and presentation of chamber music ensembles. Nicole recently tutored at Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp.
Nicole studied modern clarinet at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music following which she was awarded the Queen’s Trust Scholarship to continue her studies abroad. She consequently moved to The Netherlands where she graduated from a postgraduate degree in historical clarinet and authentic performance practice with Eric Hoeprich at the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague in 1997.
Nicole returned to Australia in 2012 with her husband and two children after living in The Netherlands for seventeen years. She now lives on the Sunshine Coast.