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Dr. Nicholas Elderkin (right) with famed American composer Marvin Frederick Hamlisch after a performance at Midland College. Hamlisch inaugurated the College’s new nine-foot Steinway concert grand.

Dr. Nicholas Elderkin (‘02) was given piano lessons by his parents for Christmas when he was twelve. Twenty years later, he is an assistant music professor and director of piano studies at Midland College in Midland, TX. He says he always knew he wanted music to be the centre of his life, but it was Mount Allison that helped him discover his path.

"Initially, I thought I would use my music training to open up a music store back home in PEI. After seeing and feeling the incredible enthusiasm my Mount Allison music professors had for their own pedagogical work, I knew that teaching should be my life's work," he says.

Elderkin says his music education at Mount Allison, and mentoring from Dr. Janet Hammock, was exactly what he needed to prepare him for graduate school. And the social experiences he gained at the University also taught him valuable life skills that he has taken with him to Texas.
Dr. Nicholas Elderkin (right) with famed American composer Marvin Frederick Hamlisch after a performance at Midland College. Hamlisch inaugurated the College’s new nine-foot Steinway concert grand.

“Without Mount Allison I would have never had the courage to continue my educational dreams outside of Canada,” he says.

After Mount Allison he completed his Master’s in piano performance and Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano pedagogy and performance at Texas Tech University. His doctoral research examines how class piano instructors can best sequence and incorporate improvisation experiences into the class piano curriculum.

“My interest in this area began during my years at Mount Allison, especially after enrolling in Dr. Janet Hammock's Sonic Explorations course. Sonic Explorations taught me the value of listening deeply and how this activity can greatly inform our artistic choices.”

In 2009, Elderkin spearheaded a project to make Midland College an All Steinway School. As an All-Steinway School, Midland will use Steinway and Steinway-designed pianos in all aspects of teaching and performance. The College is the fourth community college in the country and only the fourth school in Texas with this designation.  

His goal was to raise $250,000 for the purchase of new pianos. He organized several music fund raising concerts and wrote grants to obtain campaign funding. With the help of generous community donors as well as some Charitable Trust organizations, the group was able to raise over $600,000.

“Helping Midland College achieve an All-Steinway School status was truly an exhilarating and emotional experience. Having our students practice on Steinway pianos has greatly increased their motivation and, consequently, their musical progress.”

Elderkin has a love for both teaching and performing. He enjoys the spirited conversations that happen in one-on-one instruction, and the tangible bond that is created with an audience during a performance. But he says he can’t choose one over the other.

“That's like asking me to choose between Joey's Garlic Fingers and a Pickles' BBQ sandwich (both in Sackville). It's downright impossible. I need and love both,” he jokes.