About Nelson
Composer
Nelson Walker (they/them, b. 2000) likes to tell stories in their music: Sometimes it’s a silly jaunt through a video-gamey electric forest filled with robo-bunnies, sometimes it’s a love story, sometimes it’s a story about birds, sometimes it’s a story about losing someone they care about. They aspire to always be learning from the wisdom and experience of the people around them, and to do whatever they can to help build a more compassionate and equitable world.
Nelson’s love of music started when they were 6 years old, improvising and writing songs at the piano with their uncle. In middle school, they started playing cello, which opened a door into the world of classical music - at the same time, they discovered a love of both folk music and rock music. In high school, they began writing string quartets to play with their friends, and that carried them into their undergraduate degree in composition at the University of Colorado - which is where they became friends with Anoushka Divekar!
After graduating from the University of Colorado, they did a masters degree in composition at the University of Michigan, where they rediscovered their love of songwriting. During their time there, they wrote, arranged, recorded, mixed, and released their first solo album, “Do I Contradict Myself?”, which they describe as “folk-rock-meets-queercore-punk”. (It does have some adult themes though, so probably best to ask a parent before looking that one up.)
Nelson currently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they work as a recording engineer, and spend their free time at the climbing gym. They also play cello and electric bass in a band called “my salamander”, along with three of their best friends in the whole world.