Sam Nester

Sam Nester is an Australian-born trumpet player, composer, and sound artist based in New York. His work explores the relationship between humans and the natural world, harnessing natural processes to create immersive sound installations and musical compositions. He has been the artist-in-residence for the Center for Genomics & Systems Biology at NYU Abu Dhabi, Bruny Island (Australia), the US National Parks in Hawai’i, and the Festival of Arts Design Acerenza (Italy).

His commissioned works include site-specific environmental sound installations and compositions for the US State Department, the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), Colby College, George Mason University, EcoArt Project, Metropolis Ensemble, the National Parks Arts Foundation, the city of Houston, and the City of Hobart (Australia).

Since 2022, Nester has been working with policy officers from the European Commission Directorate-General for Environment and scientists from the Joint Research Centre on sound installations at the nexus of art, science, and policy.

As a performer, Nester has appeared with Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival & Lincoln Center Out of Doors, the Beijing Modern Music Festival, Paris Opera Ballet, Wordless Music Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Group, and as a soloists for the Kennedy Center in Washington DC among others.

A Fulbright scholar, Nester earned his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music, receiving the Helen Cohn Award for outstanding performance. He serves on The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music faculty.