Music has always been a part of my heart and soul, and I have always used it to define myself, even from an early age.  I've been playing piano since the 1st grade and saxophone since the 4th grade.

My classical training is present in everything that I do, and I embrace the technical skills and loving nature that  I was brought up on for years under the direction of Carolyn Toppliff in Newburgh, NY.  From these lessons, I've been able to accelerate my learning of all genres including pop, rock, jazz, and many others.

Elementary school was my first big opportunity to show my skills off to an audience.  I sat down to the piano at the school concert, began with a soothing classical piece, and quickly kicked back the chair, dropping to my knees, and jamming away to "Great Balls of Fire."  From that point, I knew I had to pursue music performance.

Following this debut, I began working with a band called "The Chills."  We were based out of my hometown, Marlboro, NY, and we had 5 people in the band.  We played together for about 6 years all over the Hudson Valley from WPDH roof-a-thons, to the Empire State Games Opening Ceremony, to Military Appreciation Day at Stewart Airport opening up for Bo Diddley.  This was a magical time with gigs almost every weekend, and an incredible time to be with friends.

Since high school I have been hired by many churches to play weekend services; Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, Pentecostal, to name a few.  My involvements extended to the stage and school productions as I would regularly serve as assistant vocal director, and work with my peers to produce all types of musical events.  I've worked with children at music camps, taught in educational environments, and have provided lessons to many.  In other professional settings, I musical direct, accompany, and do studio recordings.

I attended Stevens Institute of Technology, a small engineering school in Hoboken, NJ where I earned double degrees in Engineering Physics and Music & Technology.  At my core, I live an ongoing determination to satisfy both my love for the sciences and arts.  Therefore, with each project, I look to incorporate these elements as much as possible.

Today I continue to pursue my musical career with several groups and a few solo projects.  You can usually find me jamming away late into the evening with a great group of guys in our cover band, "Made In America."  I'm also extremely proud to have the group "Nick Catania and the Mystery Machine."  This is an all-original piano rock band with styles that blend the likes of Billy Joel, Joe Jackson, Ben Folds, and Elton John.  The guys I play with are fantastic musicians, and we've growing in popularity with every gig.

Enjoy my new music, and thank you for checking out www.NickCataniaMusic.com!