Nikki Trail is a graduate of University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she earned her
Bachelor of Music in Performance with a focus in saxophone in 2015. While at UNCG, Nikki studied with Dr. Steven Stusek.
Since 2010, Nikki has worked as a private lesson teacher in the Kernersville and Winston-Salem
areas teaching young students how to better themselves as musicians. Her students have many
success stories that include passing auditions into various honors bands in North Carolina as well
as them earning Superior ratings at Solo and Ensemble Festivals.
While still in college, Nikki worked to expand solo repertoire for the tenor saxophone in classical
music. She partnered with composer Jonathan S. Miller, out of Winston-Salem, North Carolina,
to develop new music for her primary instrument, including the 2013 World Premiere of his
work Raven and the 2014 World Premiere of his work Because I Fly.
When Nikki is not teaching, she is performing and recording with the rock band, Viva la Muerte.
In 2019, VLM was nominated as Triad’s Best Local Original Band by Yes! Weekly readers. In
February 2022, VLM released their third studio album, STORM COUNTRY, where Nikki is prominently featured throughout.