Nicole Paglialonga

Nicole Paglialonga enjoys a diverse career as an educator, community builder, and orchestral musician. 

She joined the artistic team at the Cliburn in 2022, where she serves as the education and community programs manager. Revitalizing the education initiatives for a post-COVID landscape, she has designed and implemented in-school performances and interdisciplinary curriculum that, along with the education team, reach nearly 60,000 students annually. She is part of nurturing the culture of classical music across the Dallas-Fort Worth area by partnering with community, social service, and peer arts organizations to bring unique experiences outside of the concert hall. She also volunteers on the educational advisory boards for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Jubilee Theater. Together, we identify how we can better serve our shared community in our own unique and creative ways.

Driven by the belief that everyone, regardless of financial, geographical, or physical limitations, should have equal access to the highest-level musical opportunities, Nicole has made strides to better reflect the populations served at every organization. With the Cliburn, she has expanded diversity of repertoire and education team itself, so that children see themselves on the stage. She has also initiated programs in self-contained special education classrooms, adopting adaptive strategies and sensory-friendly approaches so that every child can participate fully. With the McKinney Philharmonic, she launched a new cultural series to celebrate the beautiful diversity of our community. In 2013, she founded the Radford Youth Strings to expand musical opportunities for students without access to transportation.  As a board member for the Friends of the Roanoke Symphony, she organized the Smiles Series, which sponsors performances by nationally recognized professional musicians in area public schools.  She also launched the Music for Mental Health series with St. Albans Psychiatric Hospital, which provides therapeutic music to residents.

As a violinist, Nicole enjoys sharing the stage with many talented friends and making connections between music and daily life. Her greatest joy is empowering her students to find their voices through the violin. At home, she enjoys gardening and going to baseball games with her husband, clarinetist Phillip Paglialonga.