Bio

It all started when…

Born in Portland, Oregon to a musical family, Nicholaus Poelwijk showed his interests in piano from a young age. Beginning his piano studies at the age of three, as a high school student he went on to win the senior division of the prestigious Northwest Chopin Festival in Seattle, Washington. On full scholarship he attended the University of Oregon where he graduated in 2017 studying with Brazilian pianist Alexandre Dossin. In January of 2018 he began attending the University of Miami where he received a Teaching Assistantship, pursuing a Masters degree with American pianist Kevin Kenner.

Poelwijk’s playing is perhaps best described by his first prominent teacher, who remains a mentor and close friend, American pianist Mark Westcott. “Poelwijk’s playing is a combination of fiery impetuous brilliance combined with rare, if not utterly unique, poetic and dramatic depth. With an uncanny ability in all styles his playing posses a world class sense of rhythmic nuance and rubato.”