Remembering Nic

The San Diego Arts Community Mourns the Loss of Dr. Nicolas Reveles

by stephanie saad thompson

When The News

broke on March 1, 2023 of the death of Dr. Nicolas Reveles, composer, concert pianist and arts educator (and my friend), shock and sadness rippled through the San Diego community. Reveles’ loss was felt deeply not only by his family members and many friends; but also by the dozens of arts organizations, performers, students and audience members—whose experiences enjoying the arts in San

Diego were enriched by his efforts over the decades.

Tribute after tribute poured in to Reveles’ Facebook page from around the world—often accompanied by photos of singers and colleagues hugging and Reveles’ smiling face. As the director of education and community engagement for San Diego Opera for 20 years, he discovered, coached and nurtured dozens of young singers. His hundreds of lectures and dozens of opera explainer television programs helped introduce thousands of people to the art form, and deepened their understanding and appreciation.

“When I first moved to San Diego, Nic was the first person I coached with, which led to a house audition for San Diego Opera,” says soprano Tasha Hokuao Koontz. “At that point, I wasn’t sure if I was still pursuing an opera career, and his encouragement helped me remember my love for singing and opera.”

Koontz adds, “When I founded the Fortissima /CONTINUED ON PAGE 18