by Vicky Florian ’14

Junior Nick Cameron is committed, to say the least. Besides having played prominent roles in three school musicals, having solos in Rock ‘n’ Roll since freshman year, and participating in both the Chamber’s Choir and Jazz Band, Cameron is a member of two bands outside of school.

At the age of five, Cameron landed his first role in a musical. “Looking back on it I always had a musical mind when I was a kid,” said Cameron. “I always had music running through my head, and I always wanted to be the ‘rock star.’”

His family largely influenced his love for music and performance. His mother used to be a stage manager for the Baltimore Opera Company, his father always has music playing around the house and his two older siblings were involved in theater as well.

Musically gifted Cameron plays seven instruments including bass, electric and upright, the guitar, viola, harmonica, drums, piano, recorder and his voice, which he says is his “main instrument.”

In the past two years, Cameron’s Rock ‘n’ Roll solos have included “Hair,” “We Are the Champions” and “Today.”

He has played prominent roles in school musicals each year of his high school career. Freshman year he played the villain, Jud, in “Oklahoma.” His sophomore year he played the two male lead parts of Adam and Noah in “Children of Eden,” and this year he played the gambler Sky Masterson in “Guys and Dolls.”

Outside of school, Cameron is the leader of two bands, in which he organizes gigs and practices. Though he plays guitar in one and bass in the other, he is the lead vocalist in both.

Almost half of Cameron’s schedule involves music classes, which allows him a lot of time to pursue music during the school day.

“I try to make sure that all of my time … is devoted to either school, extracurriculars, music or sleep so that none of my time is wasted,” said Cameron. “I would be happy with just about any career in music, but my dream would be as a rock musician in live performance and in the studio. It wouldn’t even feel like a career to me, it would feel like play time all the time.”

In college, Cameron plans to major in music with a double concentration in music technology and voice, as well as minoring in physics as “something to fall back on.”

Although Cameron enjoys a wide range of music, his favorite genre is Classic Rock. Cream and The Beatles are tied for his favorite band, though he has a “penchant” for Mumford and Sons.

“There’s something about singing that is beyond an instrument or acting,” said Cameron. “It combines words and notes, so it’s like the best of both worlds.”