Nikka Gershman-Pepper

Described as “without question one of the finest and most dedicated young flute soloists” by Mike Green, the President of the Grammy Foundation, Nikka Gershman-Pepper is a 14-year-old flutist and composer. She is honored to be the youngest ever Haynes Young Artist. Nikka is currently attending the Pre-Conservatory Program at the Colburn Music Academy under the mentorship of the legendary Jim Walker.

At age six she discovered her love for music, and a year later, she performed with the Emmy-winning Honor’s Orchestra at UCLA Schoenberg Music Hall Concert where she was offered the position of principal flute in The All-Schools Elementary Honor Orchestra. Subsequently, she has been accepted as a soloist in the LA Youth Philharmonic for the 2019 Music Festival Concert at The Walt Disney Concert Hall and Colburn’s Zipper Hall. 

Nikka is a first-prize winner in numerous competitions including the 2022 Music Teachers’ National Association (MTNA) national winner, British Flute Society International Young Performer Competition (BFS), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artists’ Concerto Competition, Rising Stars Grand Prix (Berlin), Flutes by the Sea International Competition, Chicago Flute Club (Senior Division), the Los Angeles division of Music International Grand Prix, concerto soloist for the Whittier Regional Symphony, International Music Competition Bonn "Grand Prize Virtuoso", and New York Young Virtuoso Competition. In 2022, Nikka was the youngest in the history of the Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition to win the Grand Prize for Exceptional Talent and Musicianship Award over all categories, judged by a panel of esteemed LA Philharmonic members. She has been chosen to perform in masterclasses with distinguished artists, including Sir James Galway, Carol Wincenc, Denis Bouriakov, Lorna McGhee, Andrea Griminelli, Emily Beynon, Viviana Guzman, Garrett Hudson, and Ransom Wilson. Nikka is a recipient of a Sir James Galway Merit Scholarship Award to attend the Galway Flute Festival 2022.

Nikka’s solo concerts include performances at the Beethoven House, Bonn, Germany, VOS with the LA Jewish Symphony premiering her original composition, New York at the Salon de Virtuosi winter concert, Skyview Concert Hall with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz with the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra. She has been interviewed by The Flute View magazine and featured by The Violin Channel. In February 2022, Nikka was a guest performer on NPR’s From the Top National Public Radio station, showcasing the most promising young musicians.

Community outreach is extremely important to Nikka, and she is dedicated to inspiring young audiences and bringing her music to underserved communities. In 2021, Nikka was named an ambassador to Music to Save Humanity Mentorship and Outreach Program. As a From the Top Fellow, she performed for the Colorado Children’s Hospital facilitated by the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.

Community outreach is extremely important to Nikka, and she is dedicated to inspiring young audiences and bringing her music to underserved communities. In 2021, Nikka was named an ambassador to Music to Save Humanity Mentorship and Outreach Program. As a From the Top Fellow, she performed for the Colorado Children’s Hospital facilitated by the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.