Nicki Roman

About Nicki

Nicki Roman is known for “showcasing not only the breadth and potential of saxophone repertoire, but her own virtuosity and technique as a performer”. (Parma Recordings). As a soloist, she has been featured with the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias’ Chamber Orchestra, Eastman Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Illinois Wind Symphony, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Wind Ensemble, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and many more. She has been a prize winner at prestigious competitions including the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Solo Competition, The Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, Plowman Chamber Music Competition, Music Teacher’s National Association Young Artist Solo Competition, William C. Byrd International Competition, and the International Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship.

Roman is a core member of Splinter Reeds. The sum of their wide ranges of experience–in settings including free jazz, improvisation, electronic music, pop, punk, and metal as well as classical–has enabled them to rapidly zero in on a distinct aesthetic identity. Recent concert engagements have included performances at New York City’s TIME:SPANS Festival, Dublin’s Music Current Festival, Chicago’s Constellation, San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center, Vancouver New Music, the Mondavi Performing Arts Center, Berkeley Art Museum, Festival of New American Music, and Other Minds: The Nature of Music Series. They currently serve as the Stucky Ensemble-in-Residence at Cornell University.

Roman joined the faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Fall 2024. From 2018-2024, she served as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Roman is a Selmer Paris Ambassador and Vandoren Artist.