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Faculty Biography

NICOLE MANCINI
Violin

You could say Nicole’s musical career began as a vocalist.  As a little girl she always wanted to be a singer and made sure everyone in her household was aware of that, as she was constantly belting out her parents favorite tunes.  Her love for music really began developing in elementary school where she was a part of her school choir as well as two church choirs.  She continued to sing until she reached fourth grade and picked up the violin for the first time. Nicole humorously reminisces on choosing the instrument she was going to play when she learned she would be joining the school orchestra.   She said, “I really wanted to play cello but my Mom thought it was too big for me to carry on the bus.” The violin was much easier to carry and Nicole’s reluctant acceptance of the violin turned into love and Nicole learned quickly on the violin with no formal or private training and continued to play in her school orchestras and in church all the way through high school.  She played solo parts in several state contests with her high-school orchestra and earned superior marks.  She also ventured onto the viola during high school when her sister agreed to teach her. 

When it came time to move on to college she did not know exactly where her love for music would take her.  She knew she wanted to continue playing, however having had no formal training did not anticipate music being her main course of study in college.  She was accepted into the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and began emailing people in the music department to find out what informal groups might be available for her to continue to play in.  When they found out she was a violinist they urged her into a last minute audition into the music department.  She was accepted into the music department and for the first time in her life began studying privately under Joby Brunjes.  Since then her musical career has taken flight.  She has since been part of a pioneering group that began UNCW’s first string orchestra as well as other small ensembles and has also performed many solo recitals in Beckwith Hall.  She is currently extremely fortunate to be studying under the amazing Danijela Zezelj-Gualdi during her last two years at UNCW.  She plans to graduate from UNCW in the spring of 2011 with a degree in communication studies and music. 

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