Hannah Nicholas is the principal violist of the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra. She has performed on series including the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Network for New Music, LyricFest, Lincoln Center Atrium 360, Bowerbird, and Barnes Museum as part of the resident contemporary Barnes Ensemble. Hannah has toured with the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO), and was previously the principal violist of the Central City Opera Orchestra in Colorado and a fellow with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach under Michael Tilson Thomas (2014-17). She also performs with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Opera Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Orchestra as a substitute violist.
Hannah has been praised for her “rich tonal sonority” (South Florida Classical Review). Her orchestral solos have been noted as “exceptional” and “beautifully performed” (New York Classical Review; Culture Vulture). She performed as a soloist at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington D.C. and at the Lucerne Festival Academy in Switzerland, featured on the Hyperstring Trilogy by Tod Machover. At the New World Symphony, she served as principal viola on Strauss’ Don Quixote with John Sharp, Cello, and gave solo recitals on the Solo Spotlight and Inside the Music Series.
For three years Hannah was a featured artist with the O, Miami Poetry Festival. Highlights include a joint commission from composer Sahba Aminikia and artist Kevork Mourad, “The Wind Will Blow Us Away,” and a performance of Ljova’s Clarinet Quintet, “The Refugee.” Hannah performed as guest violist Garth Newel Piano Quartet in Virginia in the summer ‘21. She currently heads her own chamber music series, Hannah Rose Presents. In addition to viola, Hannah writes her own music, often collaborating with jazz musicians Gregg Mervine and Josh Machiz.
Hannah studied with Kim Kashkashian at New England Conservatory (MM), and with Paul Hersh and Jonathan Vinocour at the San Francisco Conservatory (Artist Certificate). Hannah received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in Modern Middle Eastern Studies, while studying viola with Che-Hung Chen. She teaches viola and chamber music at Swarthmore College and songwriting at the University of Pennsylvania.