Artist Spotlight: Composer, Nhick Pacis
The “5 Composers/1 Theme” project’s debut is coming up and we have more composers to introduce to you. Next up under the spotlight is composer, arranger and pianist Nhick Ramiro Pacis! Watch the premiere of his work and our four other composers on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. PST (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 10:30 a.m. Philippine Standard Time) via Facebook Live.
1. Nhick is the in-house music director of Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) in Tampa.
He directs the foundation’s Musikong Kawayan Bamboo Ensemble, known as the “bamboo orchestra” of the org’s Music and Instrumental Program. Nhick also spearheads PCFI’s Filipino-American Theater Company of Tampa. On top of all of the work he does as PCFI’s music director, he also supports the organization as its in-house web designer and graphic artist. He manages the foundation’s website and designs collateral to promote its mission and events!
2. Nhick initially considered himself merely a pianist by profession, but he’s since then come into his own as a composer and arranger.
He’s garnered Luna Award nominations for Best Musical Score and Indie Movie Musical Scorer of the Year for his work on Kip Oebanda’s film “Liway.” Nhick has also received commissions from the UP Presidential Commisson for Culture and the Arts (UP-PCCA) to arrange music for the sarzuelas “Riri Ken Tiri” and “Dagiti Naulbod.” You may also recognize his work from “A Summer Symphony with FASO” in 2019 at Walt Disney Concert Hall. We played his “Filipino Folk Songs Medley!”
3. Nhick is a University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music and UP Concert Chorus alum.
At UP, Nhick majored in piano and premiered his own composition, “Dance Suite No. 1,” for his graduation recital. And as a member of the acclaimed UP Concert Chorus from 1987 to 1997, Nhick toured internationally to Europe, Canada and the United States. He’s also arranged for the ensemble! Check out his arrangement of “UP Naming Mahal!”
4. According to Nhick, “Creativity is an itch that doesn’t go away!”
When he gets home from his day job at PCFI, he’s usually itching to do anything creative. He runs musical experiments on his computer, he paints, edits photos and videos, and probably tons more! If you’re curious to see what his creativity is all about, you can check him out on Pixabay, YouTube, and SoundCloud. He also has an art section on his blog.
Hear Nhick’s work and hot takes on our other four composers on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. PST (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 10:30 a.m. Philippine Standard Time) on Facebook Live. RSVP here.