Nikk Pilato is Director of Bands at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, and Brass Ensemble, and contributes to the College's mission through teaching, research, service, and scholarly/creative endeavours.
Prior to his appointment at Mt. San Antonio College, Nikk served on the faculties of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music (California State University - Long Beach) and the University of Georgia. Additionally, he served as Director of Bands and Orchestras at J.P. Taravella High School and St. Thomas Aquinas High School in South Florida.
Nikk received the Bachelor of Music Education, Master of Music Education, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Music Education and Instrumental Conducting from the Florida State University College of Music in Tallahassee, Florida. His primary conducting teachers were Richard Clary, Patrick Dunnigan, and Jim Croft. His dissertation, a transcription for winds of Joseph Schwantner's New Morning for the World, is published by Schott-Helicon Music.
In 2008 Nikk founded the Wind Repertory Project, a comprehensive database of wind literature, expanded by user contributions much like Wikipedia. The database includes information such as instrumentation, program notes, errata, study resources, articles, commercially available recordings, and more. In the five years since its inception, the WRP has already amassed over 3,300 user-submitted entries, and has been visited four million times.
Nikk maintains a busy profile as a clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor.