Who is Lewis Nitikman?
Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, my passion for piano started at the age of four when I used to enjoy playing around on piano keyboards. In my teenage years it was the amazing piano playing of Elton John that inspired me to want to become a professional musician and pursue a career in music. I trained at Berklee College of Music where I received my Diploma in Composition.
Shortly afterwards, I toured with RCA recording artists ‘Stonebolt‘. Over 30 years I have gained extensive experience as a professional musician and session player. Some highlights of my career have been producing, playing and writing 3 Gold Albums in Canada.
Playing with various bands including The Beach Boys, The Guess Who, The Doobie Brothers, Def Leppard and Sheffield’s very own John Reilly and Boy on a Dolphin. I currently write, produce and perform all over the UK.
I’ve been teaching piano in Sheffield for around ten years. I truly enjoy sharing my knowledge and helping people accomplish their goal of learning to play, and play well!
I teach a classical programme which encompasses all the fundamentals; theory, technique, reading and performing. I teach from the age of 6 years through to adult and I have coached students through all grades of their ABRSM exams, all of whom have done extremely well.
Lewis Nitikman playing piano intro for John Reilly, singing Elton John’s ‘Tonight’
Notable achievements
- Keyboard Player for Grammy nominated RCA recording artists ‘Stonebolt’ 1984-1992
- Toured around the Japan, United states, Canada and recorded 1 of 4 albums. Performed on television.
- Toured with the Beach Boys and Burton Cummings
- Signed by Virgin Records. Produced and wrote 2 Canadian Gold winning albums. ‘Diamond in the Rough’ spawned 3 hit singles. “Where Is Love” was the 14th most played song in Canada in 1989-1990, and the ballad “I Wish There Was A Way” was number 6 for 10 weeks. In 2022 the album it was inducted into the Canadian Museum of Music.
- Performed and recorded with some of the best songwriters in LA, Nashville ad Toronto.
- Commissioned by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to record a commercial.
- Produced various national and regional commercials.
- Scored original music for TELUS, for four major promotional videos, one of which already won a production award.
- Performed with the Catherine St. Germaine band in a successful Canada Week concert appearance in Taipei, Taiwan, after which he was invited back to Asia to produce a single on an album for one of Asia’s top recording artists. The artist is Jo Wahl Jin and the single is Separate Lives which is being played throughout Asia.
- Other projects have included fundraising for a special needs school including working with the children to produce original songs.
Staff Songwriter 2008 – Cordova Bay Entertainment Group Inc, 2008 – 2010 - Signed to publishing contract. Song writing. Scored short film called ‘Lovin Loretta’ which was shown at 5 of the major film festivals including the San Francisco Film Festival.
- Music Theory & Production Teacher – Pacific Audio Visual Institute, 2009
Links to music & reviews
Video: John Reilly – LA LA LA (BULLETPROOF)
Writers: John Reilly/Lewis Nitikman
Review: Stranded – New Dawn
Review by Craig Hartranft Dangerdog Music Reviews
Review: Zebulon – John Reilly
Writers: John Reilly/Lewis Nitikman
Album: ‘New Dawn’ by Stranded
Co-writer/Producer – Lewis Nitikman
Review: Diamond In The Rough (CAN)
Co-writer/Keyboards – Lewis Nitikman
Review: Stonebolt – Don’t Ya Hide It
Vancouver Signature Sounds
Interview with Lewis Nitikman
Fabulous Flip Sides – Stonebolt
Video: Lewis Nitikman playing piano intro
John Reilly sings ‘Tonight’ – Elton John/Bernie Taupin
