Acclaimed for his "stirring, magnetic, and powerful" interpretations (ArtsHub), pianist and scholar Dr Nicholas Kennedy is among Australia's most exciting musicians and musical thinkers. Nicholas completed his undergraduate studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music (SCM), graduating with First Class Honours and the University Medal. He subsequently earned a Master of Music (Distinction) at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, and a PhD at SCM, with a thesis on the last three Beethoven piano sonatas. Nicholas was Open Instrumental Winner of the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition 2023, and his debut album, The Last Piano Sonatas, was released in 2021. Recent performance highlights include Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Barrier Reef Orchestra, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Modést Orchestra, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with Sydney University Symphony Orchestra, and solo recitals for Arts Bundanoon, Sydney Schubert Society and the Beethoven at the Con Festival. Nicholas is frequently invited to adjudicate competitions including Sydney Eisteddfod and the Palladian Intercollegiate Competition, and in April 2026 will travel to Surabaya, Indonesia to give masterclasses. He is also an accomplished cellist. Besides his performing activities, Nicholas is deeply involved in music research. He is a published author in the field of nineteenth-century music analysis, and has presented at international symposia including Performers(’) Present in Singapore, McrMAC in Manchester, and Reimagining Musical Programming in Sydney. Nicholas currently serves as Associate Lecturer at SCM, where he has been on faculty since 2022.