Nick Worth’s Rise In Classical Guitar
Story by Paula Just
Photography by John Liviero
Driven by a desire for privacy, Nick Worth learned how to play guitar, hoping to practice in peace within the walls of his own room. Until then, he had only played piano, but with it positioned in the center of his family’s living room, every practice session became a performance. “Everyone could hear me when I practiced and I felt a bit self-conscious,” he explained. What Nick didn’t expect was that this simple wish would set him on a path to musical excellence, leading him to the prestigious Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Now, at just 17, he’s been invited to perform there later this month, following his outstanding achievement of winning the Gold Medal and securing the highest score in Ontario on the classical guitar exam.
You might think that receiving a prestigious award at such a young age means Nick has been playing guitar since he was a child. But in reality, he began practicing just four years ago. His passion for music, however, dates back to childhood; he has been learning piano since he was seven years old.
“I have always liked music, but I didn’t really have an interest in playing it until my parents wanted me to take piano lessons. At first, I didn’t enjoy it, but my mom encouraged me to keep practicing,” he recalls.
His interest in the guitar sparked after watching a video of Croatian classical guitarist Ana Vidovic. “It was a performance of a popular Spanish piece called Asturias. It’s very technically impressive. I was amazed when I saw and thought, ‘I want to do this!’” He started taking lessons and quickly had a preference for the instrument.
“Comparing it to the piano, the guitar comes a little bit more naturally to me, visualizing all the notes and everything.”
Born in London and moving to Windsor in his first weeks of life, Nick lives in Walkerville with his parents and younger sister. A shy but good-natured young man, he demonstrates excellent dedication to everything he gets involved in. As a Greater Essex County District Board student, his favorite subjects are math and science. When he is not practicing, he enjoys reading biographies and novels.
Currently, Nick is focused on his studies and music lessons, practicing both instruments for about two hours daily, with weekend practice increasing to around six hours. Even so young, he has already performed publicly several times. He performs in concerts at his school and the WCCA, Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts. Worth also played at the Kiwanis Festival. “It’s nice to share what I’ve been working on for so long with other people. It can be both nerve-wracking and satisfying, depending on the situation.”
The student relies heavily on his natural talent and musical intuition but also studies and dedicates himself to learning new techniques. “The most satisfying thing for me is when I hear a piece of music then learn it and can actually play it. There’s no better feeling, especially if the piece is really good and hard.” His main idols and inspirations include Ana Vidovic, who motivated him to start playing; Scottish guitarist David Russell; and Terry Copp, a guitar professor at Concordia University in Montreal.
In the middle of last year, Nick decided to participate in the Royal Conservatory of Music program. “The RCM has a series of books for various instruments at each level. There’s a set of pieces and techniques that you have to learn. And for all those levels, you can take exams,” he explains. This time, he was preparing for the grade 7 Classical Guitar exam. It took months of preparation leading up to the exam, which took place in January of this year.
The nearly hour-long test required him to present six pieces in front of an examiner. “I had already taken an exam the year before, so I wasn’t too nervous. Contrary to what everybody says, the atmosphere was okay and my examiner was nice; we chatted afterward. And I think I did pretty well overall.”
Thanks to his dedication, determination and aptitude, Nick has been awarded a Gold Medal and achieved the highest grade in all of Ontario. “It felt a little bit unreal. I didn’t think I did that well,” he said.
In addition to the recognition, Nick was invited to perform live at the Royal Conservatory Celebration of Excellence Recital in Toronto on Saturday, this past November. He presented Caprice in A minor, Op. 100 No. 11 by Mauro Giuliani on the occasion. “I felt very honored and excited that I was invited to play in such a venue. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect; The stage was so much larger than I was used to.” He was accompanied by his parents, his sister, grandmothers and a few friends to help ease his nerves.
Music has transformed Nick’s life in such a way that he hopes to share that experience with future musicians. He has already outlined the next steps in his journey: study music at the University of Windsor and possibly become a teacher after graduating. “I’m currently a private music teacher and after high school, I plan to attend SoCA, the School of Creative Arts at the University of Windsor. I intend to pursue music as a career and hope to teach at a post-secondary level, like at a university.”
Even without a formal degree, Nick already has valuable advice for those dreaming of playing an instrument and building a career in music. “Always look for opportunities to be on stage and share your music. Joining the WCCA at the start of high school helped me get out of my room to practice and perform in different spaces. Take advantage of as many opportunities as possible; you must put yourself out there. Take everything thrown at you, but don’t overload or put too much pressure on yourself”. He added, joking: “And, of course, don’t be delusional. If you’ve only played for your family, don’t accept an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall, right?”
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